Ferret in a Weasel's Den
by Aya Diefair
Summary: Sometimes things aren't meant to be. Sometimes things just don't make sense—the best things never really do, anyway. — - A series of Ferrets Fireworks (Fred/Draco/George)/Silver Fireworks (Fred/Draco/George, Scorpius) stories. My Brainchild. My Obsession. For Blue Rose; the Co-Creator of the pairing.
1. Twist in the Game (Ch1)

**Author's Note:** The D.A. time frame on when it was busted/snitched on is set just before term ends in 1996, as did the twins departure of the school.

I recommend reading _Content_ ( _Silver Fireworks_ Chapter 1) by spittingllama7856 prior to this piece just for a small, little fun background to the start of all this wonderful madness.

* * *

 **Rated:** T

 **Genre:** Humor

 **Summary:** When the chase becomes a sly little game, the goal remains the same: Win. But when it comes to handling their feelings when a war is looming over them, there are only two ways to go about it...

 **Warnings:** Suggestive Luring/Preying/Stalking Undertones; Romeo & Juliet Age Difference (2 Years, 2 Months, 4 Days to be exact); 16/18/18); Sexually Charged Teasing

 **Dedication:** A special gift to a dear friend of mine, Blue Rose.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: A Twist in the Game**

 _5th of June, 1996_

Draco Malfoy had been assigned with an important task by Headmistress Umbridge herself to investigate and unravel the suspicious gathering of students lead by his school rival, Harry Potter. Even though they had a solid idea of where they were hiding, he could not figure out for the life of him how everyone involved slipped past their watchful eyes. It was starting to aggravate him enough that he started a list of students he knew were a part of Harry's silly, rebellious club to see who would be an easy target to interrogate.

Scanning the names written several times, he crossed out ones he knew would not give anything away, placed a question mark beside others, and check marks on ones he was confident would buckle under pressure. Oddly enough, he checked the Weasley twins as candidates, but he wrote beside their names their talent of being caught in the act of their pranking shenanigans. He felt like this was a good sign that they would slip up sooner or later with the club.

Draco decided to start with the first two names he checked before attempting to investigate the twins, recalling their rather reckless handling of Graham Montague several weeks ago had him a bit nervous. His first target was Neville Longbottom. It was not how he wanted to spend his sixteenth birthday, but this was important, and he knew there would be a large care package from home in his dorms when he got there. A rewarding treat for a hard day's work.

Despite being the type that was easily intimidated, he underestimated Longbottom's loyalty. The stuttering, timid kid clammed up at the very sight of Draco and his Squad and refused to say a single word about anything, not even a nod or shake of his head and it went nowhere fast. Luna Lovegood was just as infuriating to question as well and she was quickly written off. All he had left before moving onto the questionable names were the Weasley twins, and after his poor sense of judgement with the last two students, he was apprehensive to confront them in more ways than one.

It took several days to trace their unusual routine—if one could even call it that—outside of their class schedule, but Draco managed to track them to an empty classroom they frequented during their downtime. He wished someone else was with him for the confrontation, but no one wanted to make themselves available to face the endless pranks the two normally planted in their wake. He was lucky enough to disable a few of them when they were detected. Other times, he had another Squad member take the brunt of the booby trap by coaxing them to take the lead down the corridor.

His wand drawn and ready at his side, Draco's hand hovered over the handle but he made no motion to open it. It seemed off. The corridor wasn't trapped this time, and the door didn't appear rigged like it had been before. Were they expecting someone to show up? Did they know he was coming?

Brushing the suspicion aside, Draco gathered the little courage that drove him to do this in the first place and shoved the door open. Raising his wand as he entered, their locks of burnt orange hair was the first thing Draco saw in front of him before one of them rose to his feet and addressed the blond. The other quickly slammed something closed.

"He came alone like you said, brother," one said with a chuckle.

"I knew he would," the other answered, holding out his hand as the other placed something in it. "After the way he shamelessly had others take the hits, they're smart to not tag along."

The exchange had Draco completely lost. So they _were_ expecting him, but why?

"Aw, he's speechless, how cute."

He couldn't allow his thoughts to stray from the task. Tightening his grip on the wand's handle, Draco scanned the room quickly before spotting the logo of the Weasley joke products on the side of a chest one of the twins was sitting on. Jutting his chin out in disapproval, he looked back at them.

"Selling your worthless junk is prohibited on school grounds." His voice sounded less confident than he wanted it to be.

The two laughed at the rehearsed line, and one of them raised his hands in mock surrender. "Looks like he got us."

"How unfortunate."

"What are we in for, Slytherin Prefect?"

The way they were acting so casual on being caught red handed irritated Draco, but he couldn't let his guard down. "Point deduction—"

One snorted, covering his mouth to muffle the sound before he managed to speak. "No points to take, unfortunately."

"And if there were, we've lost hundreds before already."

"So that hardly bothers us, anyway."

"Try again, mate."

The grip on his wand faltered some at the realization, Gryffindor really did have few points to take. Usually point deduction was enough to scare students into behaving, but not this time. He should have known better. Draco's mind raced for an alternative.

"Detention."

"Detention, he says." The one sitting nudged the other.

"Reckon we won't be around long to attend that."

"Reckon we won't."

"I could easily have you expelled for this!" Draco blurted in his frustration.

"Ah, there's the winning answer!" The one standing said while lightly clapping his hands.

The other just laughed at the response from his brother.

Draco wanted to flee the scene at this point. They had already backed him into a corner when it should be the reverse, but he couldn't make himself back out the door and run. His wand lowered some but was kept aimed at the two.

"What are you planning?" he found himself asking.

"That's for us to know—" one started.

"—And for you to find out," the other finished.

"Tell you what, we will serve your detention right here and now." The two looked at a each other a moment with a smirk on their faces.

"But you have to play a little game with us to help pass the time," The other finished.

"I'm not going to play any of your twisted games," Draco snarled, raising his wand some.

Several spells filed through his head that could subdue the pair, but his unfortunate curiosity barred him from acting on any of them.

"Hear us out."

"If you win, you can turn us and our chest of goodies in fair and square," the one standing said.

"And if we win," the other continued, motioning between his brother and him. "You walk away and say nothing about what happened in here."

"The game is called Question or Command. It's easy enough to understand."

"We'll cast a lie detecting charm to make sure the answers are truly true—"

"—And the commands will be contained to this room only."

"We all take turns until one plays chicken."

"Which means until one of us refuses to answer a question or perform a command."

"Anything goes."

"There will be punishments for lying or quitting."

"Deal?" the two said at the same time, holding out their right hands to him.

Draco puzzled the idea around for a moment. He could do this and spin it in his favor if he asked the right questions, but agreeing to something so readily without even knowing who was who was not something he was going to allow to slip past him.

What was he getting himself into?

Draco swallowed hard, allowing his wand arm that grew numb from being held up for so long to drop to his side. "One question."

"We're all ears."

"Which one of you is George?"

Grey eyes looked between the two, unable to make out any distinguishing factors between them to use in order to remember which was which even if he did know. The weirdos even dressed identical to purposely throw him, he just knew it.

The expression on the twin who stood dropped to a brief frown, while the other smirked. "Seems he finds you to be the most rememberable one, brother."

"Naturally. I knew I was the more handsome one between us," The one sitting said, flicking his shirt collar upward while sending a wink the blond's way.

The odd gesture threw Draco off guard, but he didn't remove his gaze from the twin who sat on the chest.

"Now he's staring. You certainly attract the strange ones, don't you, George?" The one standing—Fred—said with a laugh.

"The good ones are always a little off," George replied.

Draco found himself flustered at the questionable undertones of the conversation they had right in front of him. Were they insinuating that he _fancied_ one of them? That was absurd! Giving himself a mental shake, he let out a disgusted scoff and subconsciously moved further into the room.

Fred was faster than Draco's thoughts were in catching up with what was going on. With a flick of Fred's wand that Draco hadn't even seen drawn, the door behind him slammed shut.

"So you're in?"

Feeling somewhat uneasy, Draco gave a curt nod. Why did he not just back out the door when he had a chance? "Let's get this over with."

Fred drew a chair from a small cluster shoved in the corner for Draco to sit in before grabbing one for himself. George remained perched on the chest, which would keep things easy to remember if the two decided to not move around. George flourished his wand in the air, creating a small white ball of light hover over them.

"What's the spell?" Draco demanded, eyes falling back to George.

"He doesn't trust you."

"Such a shame, too."

"Of course I don't!" Draco hissed, sending a glare toward Fred. "The spell?"

" _Triowth Orbis_."

Draco had conjured up a second orb that hovered beside the first one.

"It will glow blue for truths and red for lies. Simple."

"I'll start," Fred offered, resting his elbows on his knees. "Question or command?"

The game was on. Draco geared his mind to focus on the task of turning this back around on them, but to be the one to start could easily make things go wrong. "Question."

"What's your middle name?" Fred asked.

Draco looked to George, who was twirling his wand between his fingers in a distracting manner. Looking back to Fred, he replied. "Lucius."

The two cringed at the answer. Fred stifled a chuckle, but their subtle reaction to it already had Draco feel like he was going to regret his plan to try and shift this in his favor. The orbs above glowed blue for a few seconds before going back to white.

"I already feel a little sorry for you, mate," George stated.

Draco rolled his eyes and took his turn. "Question or command?"

"Command," the twins stated together.

"And make it a good one, too." Fred added in.

Draco had nothing. He didn't think that a command would come up so quickly. Needing to have a way to identify them easily, he came up with an idea.

"Fred, I want you to remove your right shoe using only your teeth. George, the same, but with your left shoe."

"We've got a clever one on our hands," Fred acknowledged.

"Right we do," George responded with a smirk.

The two did as they were told. Each one now sporting a single shoe on the opposite foot from each other. The sight was quite amusing, Draco thought. Though he could never imagine doing the gross task himself, he decided to avoid doing any commands if he could help it.

"Question or command?"

"Question."

"When is your birthday?"

What an odd question to ask. "It's today, actually. Fifth of June."

The orbs cast a blue light over them before fading back to white.

"Happy Birthday," they said in unison.

"Erhm… Thanks?"

After the tenth turn passed, Draco was beyond irritable at getting nowhere with whatever brilliant idea he had that landed him there. The twins had asked for commands every time, and he was running out of dumb things to make them do. They had kissed the dusty walls, stared at each other for a whole minute, and even balanced on one leg while standing on chairs through a turn. They asked him weird things like what his favourite color, sweet, or animal was. When the twins saw they had effectively bothered him, they changed it up to throw him off.

"Question or command?" Draco drawled, pondering on what command he should have them do next.

"Question," George asked solo.

"Command," Fred decided.

"What?" This confused him, they had answered together up until now. He was unsure of how to handle this.

"Clocks ticking, mate."

"Er, Fred," he addressed, looking over at him. "Spin around fifteen times.

"George," Draco had no idea what to ask. He had his chance now, and the bizarre situation he put himself in had him almost lose his original reason why he stuck around as his eyes locked onto George's chocolate brown ones. "What do you do for extracurricular activities?"

"I help my brother and Lee create new products for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes mostly," George answered, and the blue lights verified.

"Anything else?"

"Careful. Only one question at a time," a now dizzy Fred warned, stumbling into his chair. "That was quite fun, actually. Think that's the most I've done in a while."

"We'll let it slip this one time," George added. "But next time, there will be a penalty."

Draco did not want to find out what their penalties would consist of.

"Question or command?"

"Question," Draco said quickly.

"What is your preference: blonds, brunets, or gingers?" Fred asked, a mischievous smile creeping across his lips.

He tried his hardest to keep himself from going pink. They were purposely doing this in hopes that he'd quit, but he wasn't going to be swayed that easily. If they wanted to embarrass him, he can do the very same thing back. Being aware of the orbs above, he bit his tongue before looking to the floor. There were plenty of other gingers in the castle that weren't related to a Weasley, he was sure of it.

"Gingers."

The two snickered between them, seeing that he turned his attention off them for the first time since he entered the room. Their plan was working. Draco quickly asked which option they wanted and both asked for a question.

"How does it feel being poorer than dirt?" He snapped, surprised the previous question put him on edge so much.

"Oh, it's loads of fun, actually," George answered first.

"It really humbles a person," Fred added in, "and it teaches you to value things with more appreciation in the long run."

"It's easier to take the challenging risks because you got nothing to lose."

"But everything to gain from it."

"It's how we got our business off the ground if you think about it."

"So in actuality, we aren't really poor."

They instinctively high fived each other, knowing the question backfired on Draco as that annoying blue glowed from above. Finding the reply deflating his confidence, it also had him notice that the way they talked so fluidly back and forth between one another alluring. It was like they were constantly connected by Legilimency, knowing what the other would say so they could finish their train of thought. Imagine the things they could say to conv—

 _'No!'_

"Question," he muttered out, still avoiding looking at the twins as he did another mental brain shake.

"Why'd you ask who was George—" Fred started.

George finished. "—and not who was Fred?"

This was a very loaded question that Draco never thought he'd be forced to answer. Why did it matter which name he used? George just flowed off the tongue smoother than Fred did was all, but saying that could be taken quite inappropriately. The orbs above him now felt very ominous, taunting him to even try to lie. He thought of the vaguest answer he could muster without the coloring on his face betraying him. Instead, the pounding in his chest seemed to grow louder in his ears as he scrambled to answer.

"It was the first name that came to mind."

What were they doing to him?

"How _interesting,_ " Fred said in a mysteriously deep tone as the blue light glowed on his face.

The way he said it had Draco's skin bristle, but not in the sense that it made him uncomfortable. These questions were not going to stop if he kept asking for them, which meant he'd have to avoid them and take a command. He wasn't sure which one would be worse right now. What he really needed to do was compose himself. The twins were reading him like a book by his body language alone, and he needed to stop that immediately. Draco found himself feeling like his turn kept coming back around way too fast while his answers became even more difficult to phrase to avoid saying something he shouldn't.

"Command!"

The two chuckled at his change of answer after over a dozen questions. "Should we go easy on him? It's his first one."

"I say we just push him right in," Fred responded with a smirk.

This was why Draco favoured George slightly more. He was a little kinder, gentler, but Fred was a great ringleader and he pondered what crazy schemes he could come up with to convince Draco to do…

 _'What the bloody hell am I thinking?'_

He clenched his jaw firmly together, mentally shaking his wayward thoughts away once more while he waited for the command.

"Sing us your favourite childhood song."

Draco blanched. "Are you serious?"

"Very," the two said.

As reluctantly and quietly as the twins allowed him to get away with, Draco half-whispered a lullaby his mother made up for him when he was afraid or couldn't get to sleep. His face felt very warm the entire time.

"Question," they said in unison.

The reason he was there had slipped his mind. He was no longer playing the game for answers now but playing to win, and this plummeted his mind into a strange place. Draco knew he was going to deeply regret asking the twins this question. He couldn't stop his warped curiosity from flooding his head. It seemed they already knew his dirty little secret so why can't he learn theirs? He straightened his posture before the question rolled off his tongue.

"What characteristics do you prefer in someone?"

The corner of George's lip twitched, Draco noticed. He subtly leaned closer to them with an unknown anticipation for their response.

"Fred tends to lean for the brunettes—"

"—but I do like silvery grey eyes, too," Fred cut into George's sentence. "George here seems to fancy hazel eyes—"

"—but a cute blond will turn my head from time to time as well."

Draco was rendered completely speechless. He knew his pale skin was tinged that embarrassing shade of pink but he didn't care. They were not hiding the fact that there was something more to this game than he originally thought. They were playing for the prize in front of them, and Draco had willingly fallen right into their hands. Completely captivated by being outsmarted by the pair before him, Draco couldn't help himself but admire the clever trick they pulled to get him alone.

"S-so you're saying you—"

" _Zzzt!_ " The strange loud buzz noise came from Fred while George spoke over it.

"You've been fouled, mate."

"Free score for us then, brother?" Fred asked, nudging his shoulder against George's.

"That it is."

Draco swallowed the unfinished question down with a lump. What were they planning to do to him? Dear Merlin, what did he want them to do to him?

The pair stood up and suddenly vanished with a strange finger snapping sound, appearing in crouching positions on either side of Draco with an arm resting on each shoulder. The action startled and exhilarated him all at once, but he wasn't sure who was who now that he couldn't see their feet.

"So you are going to perform a command—"

"—or you can answer a question."

"But you must do one or the other without your clever shoe trick as a crutch."

"We know you've been watching us very carefully for a while now—"

"—so we will put your observation skills to the test."

"You can either give one of us a kiss—"

"—or tell us which one is Fred—" the one on the right started.

"—or George?" the one on his left finished.

Their close proximity put Draco's mind in overdrive. They were so much closer than he'd ever been to them. He could see the individual specks of freckles splattered across their faces, the shape of their broad shoulders that made them great beaters in quidditch. Their firm arms draped over him with a gentle heaviness as they pressed on his shoulders. Sensory overload was an understatement. It almost had Draco's brain slip into a mindless, euphoric fog, but he shook it away. He needed to think.

He knew George was on his right and Fred was on the left before they moved. They liked to say their respective brother's name when speaking, but not always, so they could have either switched spots or said the opposite names. George's lip tended to twitch slightly when things went in his favor. Fred's eyes squinted briefly when he sometimes spoke. Swallowing dryly, he felt himself flush as he made his decision. He was going to win this game the way he wanted to win it.

One of Draco's hands found the soft burnt orange hair at the back of the neck of the twin on his right. Observing the reaction, he watched the twins' chocolate brown eyes subconsciously twitch at their edges at the caressing gesture. Draco quickly placed a hand under the chin of the one he now knew was George on the left and planted a lingering kiss on him. His fingers curled into the ginger hair he still reached out for on Fred. The softness of it was addicting, so his hand only slid further into it before forcing himself to pull away and meet those delicious colored eyes.

"Did I win, George?" he half-whispered before looking over at the other. "Fred?"

The pair smiled their mischievous smirk at the comment. One thing was for certain: neither of them would say a single word on what happened after leaving that classroom.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This little story has just completely exploded into so much more. Between my friend Blue and I, we have developed this Brainchild of a Triad; Ferrets Fireworks (Fred/Draco/George). It just ... works, you can't knock it till you try it, really. It has created its own little series between her and I. So, if you want to see a "Prologue" as well as a "Post-War" view of sorts that links to this story, please go look at her amazing work!

Most of the stories are stand alone (They will be marked accordingly), but they also link to each other as you will see based on some chain of events throughout. This is our version of a collaboration, we pick scenes we come up with and decide who wants to write what. We worked our magic to get this triad pairing together, and by golly we are loving every second of it. I will update links to my friends and I's work as they are posted on my profile. Who knows how far we can push this? We are definitely going to find out!

~Aya

 _Originally written for:_

Monthly Challenges for All

 **Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 3,758


	2. A Disappointing Truth (Ch2)

**Chapter 2 - A Disappointing Truth**

 _1st of July 1996_

Draco had no idea how he managed to slip away from the manor–and his hysterical mother–to come to Diagon Alley, but he couldn't help himself; he wanted– _needed_ –to see them again. Only a few short weeks had passed since his most enjoyed birthday he'd ever had in recent memory, but it felt like ages ago. So much had happened in such a short time that Draco wanted to step away from it all and forget about it, even if it was just for a little while.

He found himself standing just outside the newly opened and brightly colored joke shop. The red-orange door was glaringly loud among the abnormally dingy alley shops peppered around him. He was just within arms reach of it, but he found himself stalling as he debated on if it was a good idea stepping through the threshold or not. The place was still packed with customers, and he already risked being seen enough before deciding to conceal himself under a disillusionment charm while he lingered outside Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Would he be noticed if he threaded himself in with the others? Would he even have a chance to _see_ them amongst the chaos?

Draco decided he would wait until near closing, whenever that was. He could only hope it was at dusk and not some other obscure hour as he retreated back down the alley toward the quidditch shop instead.

When the time finally came for him to make his presence known, Draco's nerves were on overdrive again, the _want_ to see the twins again was almost unbearable, but a small fear still held him back.

' _What am I afraid of?'_

Pushing through the door before he could think of the answer, Draco was met with a very quiet store once the strange doorbell stopped going off. The place was jam packed full of the Weasley brands. Some he recognized from confiscating them at Hogwarts, others he'd never seen before. There didn't seem to be a soul in sight as Draco was quickly lost in the sea of products. It was admirable to see their success all around him that it made him want to see the twins even more just to properly congratulate them.

Before he could see if they were around, a particular gadget caught his eye and he picked up one of the small, clear-wrapped disk looking objects. He rolled it between his fingers as he read the blurb on the display box.

 _The Tele-Snapper: With just a snap of the fingers you'll disappear! A skip or a hop, you'll reappear! Pop a jump or leap the room. To impress a friend or to dodge a rule - with just a snap you'll leave them fooled! Warning: Not recommended for use to pass through walls._

"It teleports you," Draco muttered to himself and looked at the shimmering disk again. "Those crafty little…"

"Brilliant little contraption, those are," someone from behind announced, effectively causing Draco to jump out of his skin.

His back was now pressed against the display as he found himself face-to-face with one of the twins looking back at him with a secretive smile gracing his features. He reached over Draco's shoulder and grabbed one of the Tele-Snappers from behind him. His fingers just missed brushing against the blond's cheek in the meantime. The gesture tinged Draco's entire face a light hue of pink.

"Care to give it a go?"

Draco's mind went completely blank at the question. Unable to respond, it took everything he had to not have his jaw go slack and fall open. When the ginger offered an opened Tele-Snapper to him did he give himself a mental shake to wake himself up. A fleeting thought had him wonder which twin this was. He had a feeling it was Fred based on the extreme measure he already took to make Draco feel awkward–yet breathless–at the same time.

"S-sure." Draco hoped the slight stutter went unnoticed as he accepted the disk.

"Just hold it between your fingers like so," the twin explained while showing Draco with his hand. "Make sure you have a general idea of where you want to go first, then just–" He gave a quick, loud snap of his own fingers to demonstrate.

Draco mimicked the action with very little thought; the snapping sound echoed throughout the store when the action was made. He went from the safety of the ground level to appearing onto one of the windy stair landings overhead. For some obscure reason this staircase only had railings on one side, so when Draco popped onto the landing he wasn't prepared to lose his balance and fall backwards into empty air where a rail should be.

Luckily for him someone securely grabbed him by the shoulder to prevent Draco from falling to his demise, or sustain a serious injury at the very least. Once he stabilized himself on the landing, Draco recomposed himself and addressed his redheaded savior.

"Thank you."

"Didn't think of your landing very well, did ya?" he said with a chuckle. "That would've been disastrous–"

"–for us, not you," the second twin said from behind. "It'd take ages to set up the wrecked displays had you fallen on em."

Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes. He soon noticed that he had no escape route now. One twin was a few steps above of him and the other a few below; he just had to think of the stairs before using that silly toy, didn't he? Draco turned so his back was to the railing so he could look between the two.

"Well I am not sure what you'd expect would happen when there's only one side with a rail. Liability issues and all," Draco reasoned, gesturing to the empty space in front of him.

"Hasn't changed much, has he?"

"Perhaps a little bit?"

"We'll have to see."

They were doing it again, talking right over his head–literally–while they were looking right at Draco. He wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

"So what can we do you for?"

"Besides you attempting to break limbs and threatening to shut us down?"

Draco flicked his gaze between the two, feeling the irritation rise as they filled his head with nonsense.

"I didn't—"

"'Course not, that'd put _you_ in the negative limelight, wouldn't it? All those questions on why you're in here to begin with–"

"–and stealing products no less. Can't tarnish your reputation now, what would your _parents_ think?"

They both sounded so serious, but Draco knew better. Their not-so-serious expressions told him enough. Before he responded to their outlandish claims of what ifs, the twin that stopped Draco from falling gestured for the blond to follow as he skipped up the winding stairs.

"Go on then, mate."

The other twin gave him a nudge on the shoulder to follow.

Draco was at a loss for an excuse to stop whatever was unfolding in front of him, so he found himself climbing up the stairs to the very top without complaint. An office appeared on one side, and the wall opposite had a heavy looking wooden door. He slipped into the office where the twins officially captured him behind yet another closed door. It took a great deal of effort to remain composed.

"Shall we address the blondie in the room, brother?" One twin suggested, but the grin on his face had Draco feel a bit unsure how to interpret what exactly he meant by it.

"I think we should," the one that came up behind him said and he felt an arm drape over his shoulders.

Draco swallowed hard, the closeness was still so new to him. They just touched him without any hesitation at all. He found his entire body want to turn to jelly from it.

"You owe us six knuts."

"Paid in full."

"Afraid we can't let you leave until you pay up."

Draco was floored. He was surprised he didn't collapse right then and there. This was just another messed up little game of theirs where they had all the power and he was there simply to be teased. The realization he was framed into this so easily was amusing yet highly annoying – again. He got distracted by the discovery of their trick used back in the classroom that followed the temptation offered to give it a try himself to not see it. That was exactly what he wanted to avoid. Where did his sense of self preservation and calculating forethought go? Was he just that smitten that he simply cast them aside in exchange for the opportunity to be around them?

"Six knuts? Are you serious?" He held in the laugh that tickled his throat.

"We don't take to kindly to thieves."

"Especially rich ones."

"But you–" Draco paused a moment, looking between the two in a desperate attempt to figure out who was who. "He– _One_ of you practically shoved the trinket into my hands. I can't be faulted for that."

"He's just so cute when he's all flustered," the one with his arm draped over him chuckled out.

He placed his hands on Draco's shoulders and guided him over to a chair and prompted him to take a seat.

"You look faint, you alright?"

"A drink, perhaps?"

' _Not again,'_ Draco internally groaned, but his heart betrayed his thoughts by drumming loudly against his ribs.

"I'm fine."

He was facing both of them now as they stood in front of him. Draco was grateful to be sitting, his head was swimming with a barely contained giddiness. His eyes shifted between the two, carefully trying to pinpoint a quirk to decipher which was who.

"It's unfortunate for us to have to let him off the hook, eh?"

"It's quite sad, really."

One twin cocked his head to the side and the other lightly bit at his lip. It was only then did Draco notice they had nametags pinned to their suits. He felt himself flush with embarrassment at the minute detail he overlooked from the start. George continued to worry his lip and Fred seemed to look everywhere but at him. Draco wondered what they meant by letting him off the hook.

"I can leave a bank voucher for the knuts, if that's what you're referring to," Draco said slowly after a long minute of silence.

He subconsciously pat at his robes pocket for one as he spoke while completely forgetting about the galleons he had on him. The two snorted out a laugh at the comment and it left Draco feeling very confused and unsure about everything.

' _Why did I want to see these two again? That's right, to be utterly humiliated.'_ He remembered it going over very much the same way last time, but he refrained from dragging his hands over his face and hair from frustration.

"It was never about the knuts," Draco declared, face warm with embarrassment.

"Nope," George said, popping the ' _p'_ while shaking of his head.

"Never about them."

"Care to enlighten me, then?" Draco snapped, unable to contain his irritation.

"Whoa now, calm down there," Fred said, raising his hands up.

"You came to us, remember?" George recalled, his lips twitched in his attempt to hold back a smile.

"So we should ask you why you're here–" Fred commented.

"–and not you demanding what our motives are," George finished.

Draco couldn't bring himself to say why he was there out loud. He thought it was clearly obvious–or at least implied–but these two acted like the _incident_ in the classroom never happened at all. Though that was the initial deal to never speak of it again, he wasn't prepared that they meant never speak of it again amongst _each other._ He was played the fool again and it bothered him to no end that he stood up suddenly and made for the door.

"I shouldn't have ever bothered with you two," he hissed, feeling hurt at the conclusion he drew.

Fred caught his arm before he could get to the door causing Draco to address him with a scathing glare. George was watching him over his brother's shoulder and was taken completely off guard by the sharp look given that he immediately averted his eyes.

"We thought you understood the circumstances, mate," Fred stated. "It was only a game."

Draco knew he was not playing around by the look on his face. They really did seem to forget and assumed he would, too. Knowing this didn't take the sting out of the truth he didn't want to hear, it only made it even more painful to accept.

' _Only a game.'_

Draco jerked his arm away before he grew too accustomed to their touch and shot a final glare at both of them before leaving the office. He bolted down the stairs as quickly as he could, feeling more hurt to know they made no notion to even try and stop him as second time. Once he got to the ground floor, he found was facing that Tele-Snapper display again. Grey eyes glanced to the top of the stairs for a moment before he nicked a few of the trinkets and dropped a single galleon in their place before making his way out the door.

He should have never went into the shop in the first place.


	3. Wrong Place at the Right Time (Ch3-C)

**Author's Note:** The twin swap was deliberately made in this story. Why? Because placing my favorite twin in mortal danger is more exhilarating, I suppose? (Though you can't love one without the other, so the swap is moot, really.)

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Wrong Place at the Right Time**

 _2nd of May, 1998_

The thought of being consumed by the smoldering flames just moments ago had Draco completely shaken to the point of hysteria. It was his fault that entire mess happened in the first place, and it nearly ended a handful of people's lives. It already took Crabbe; bearing witness to it would haunt him for the rest of his days. How the three that hovered around him muttering about nonsense seemed to brush it off like it was nothing he would never fully understand. All he could think about now was that he didn't want to be on the same floor as that room any longer than he had to anymore.

He scrambled onto shaken legs and made a run in the more direct route back to the ground floor, his mind reeling with everything and nothing all at once. Draco never would have imagined the horrors of war to be like this; filled with such chaos, terrible curses, and death unfolding right before his eyes. He thought he was on the safe side of it with his family, where they would be lounging in the outskirts while watching from afar, sipping fine wines and hosting garden parties while the world was combed free of the tainted blood. This was what he was told, how wrong they all were.

Being in the heart of it was beyond mortifying. The blood stained the furthest corners of his mind as so much death and murder was unleashed in front of him, covering the walls and floors of his _own home_. Somehow, each time these outbursts happened from the Dark Lord, he and his family were caught in the middle of it. But somehow, each time they just slinked on by mostly unharmed. Maybe he spared them because they were pureblood? He certainly didn't keep them around for their civic duty anymore, as he made clear to them several times. They would be paying for their punishment for years to come, granted they lived to see the morning.

What Draco could confidently conclude was that he was no hero, he was no savior. Had he been Harry back in that room filled with hellfire, given the choice to save himself or risk his life to save another, he'd have left them to burn. The only thing he cared about was himself and his parents, and prayed to whatever entity that heard him that they would simply just _survive_ this _._

He had came to a sudden halt in the long corridor when he saw Death Eaters combating two redheads while advancing toward him. He needed to get past them, the other way to the ground level would take too long, and the shortcut passage was in the direction he was going and his only saving grace to get out of harm's way the quickest.

Being wandless rendered him completely useless to simply make a run for it, but then he remembered the trinket he kept on himself at all times since he came into possession of it; the Tele-Snapper. Pressing himself against the wall to avoid the stray spells that were flying down the corridor at rapid speeds, he pulled the Weasley product from his pocket. Focusing as best as he could while muttering under his breath his desired destination, he told himself he just needed to get to the end of the corridor and he would be home free.

Draco heard someone laughing then – _laughing_ during the nightmare that was their present? That person was insane. But then, a strange eerie silence snuffed out all the noise of war, and the air grew very still. What unraveled next no one would have ever fathomed: The wall disintegrated from the loudest, most explosive impact ever imaginable. Draco had vanished mere milliseconds prior, but the disruption from the magical static in the air screwed up the teleporting object. The sheer force from the detonation had transported Draco right into the two others who were backing right up to the very wall right beforehand.

It threw all three of them back down the corridor. Debris flew in all directions, the ringing in Draco's ears disoriented his vision once the initial explosion subsided and the rubble blanketed what was left of the floor around him. He dared to shift his body then and searing pain shot throughout his entire being as rubble tumbled off him. A hot liquid streamed down the side of his face, and he was positive his wrist–his entire arm–was most definitely broken. The two Death Eaters were buried under a huge chunk of wall next to him looking very dead, and his other arm was resting on someone beside him. Draco scrambled away from the crushed bodies in sheer horror. The lingering agonizing pain quickly forgotten as adrenaline drove his body to move–no–screamed for him to get up and just _run._

' _Forget the others, just forget them.'_

Stumbling to his feet, Draco risked looking back at the chaos. Harry appeared from nowhere, rifling through the rubble with the others that he just scrambled out from under. He was shouting over someone else' horrifying screams while shooting spells out into the darkness, all while draping what he hoped was an unconscious person over his shoulders to move him away from further harm. He didn't stay long enough to see who it was exactly, he just turned and ran for the hidden passageway on shaky and sore legs. He needed to get out.

 **.oOo.**

Draco's parents had found him huddled in the entrance of a girls bathroom that still had its ' _Out of Order'_ sign dangling from the handles. Moaning Myrtle was present, hovering nearby him and offering comfort to the wizard who completely broke down after his legs finally gave out. He wondered if that person Harry was pulling from the debris was alive; it was definitely a Weasley, but damned if he knew exactly which one it was.

What horrified him was that, had he not tried to use the teleporting trinket, and the explosion didn't disrupt it and toss him into the two wizards, they'd most likely be as good as dead, even himself most likely. He survived, so they must have had to as well, right? They were so close to the impact sight… his ears still painfully rung from the terrifying sound. His head hurt, blood clung ominously to his face, his arm hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before. If he had to describe it, it felt like the cruciatus was focused on that one limb only.

His parents found him like this, curled into a shaken, crying mess. Draco couldn't even speak as he clung to his mother when she knelt down beside him. His words only formulated sobs, he couldn't stop shaking, he wanted to go home. Time kind of blurred together, he couldn't recall how he forced himself to move from the safety of the bathroom entrance, or how he even got there to begin with, but he soon found himself in the Great Hall. The cheering roar of everyone around him was the only signal he had that something good actually happened for a change. He didn't care at the moment, he just laid his head against his mother's side while her hand gently combed his debris and blood-caked hair.

People slowly filed in from nowhere, carrying the injured in to be examined and transported. Some he recognized through the daze he was in, and when shocks of ginger hair emerged he felt himself oddly perk up at seeing them. They were the two Weasley's from the corridor. One was a twin, he looked like the way he felt, barely conscious and leaning heavily on his brother and the other wizard as they dragged him in.

"I swore that you were dead, George," Draco overheard the one redhead say. "Had that Death Eater not knocked you out of the way…"

A strange ping in his chest got his attention and he forced it back, now was not the time for him to feel like he did something right, even if it was an accident. He tuned out the rest of the conversation, not wanting to think about anymore death, or about _them._ He'd buried those feelings away long ago for a reason. The rest of the ginger's family soon flocked around them, blocking Draco's line of sight of the twin - he promptly looked away. His gaze instead rested on the crumbled remains of Voldemort in the center of the room and he snapped his eyes shut. Though having the physical evidence right there meant that they were finally, truly free, he knew that they were not out of the mess just yet.

For now, Draco didn't care. He buried his head in his mother's shoulder, trying to tune out the mingling voices nearby him. The Weasley lot were obnoxiously loud, and it pierced right through his brain. A few were crying, but they weren't the only ones around that were doing some combination of something - laughing, crying, cheering, talking. Draco felt a heaviness settle in his chest as the exhaustion quickly started pulling him in, sleeping was not ideal where he was right now, but he just couldn't fight it.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This completes the original 3-chaptered story I planned. Everything posted after this will take place in this universe, but they will be able to be read as a stand-alone story unless mentioned otherwise in an A/N.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Consequences (Interlude)

**Author's Note:** This is an interlude passage of time on what happens to Draco and his family post-war. I didn't want to dive too deep into it, but I also didn't want to leave everyone wonder what happened between the end of the war and eleven years later.

* * *

 ** **Rated:**** K+

 **Genre:** General

 **Summary:** The Malfoys may have been pardoned for their crimes and involvement in the war, but nothing comes without punishment cloaked as a set of conditions.

* * *

 **Consequences**

The war was over. The dust was settling and people noticed the trio of blonds lingering in the far corner of the Great Hall as they awaited their fates in the aftermath. They had deliberately made themselves be seen by their former enemies, those who fought to defend what was right against their own. It was enough for the three to know that they would be looked for when they finally took their leave from the war-torn school.

The Malfoys did not resist when the Aurors finally came to detain them, why should they? They knew it was coming. Remaining compliant was the only way they could hopefully receive the results they desperately needed to keep them from being imprisoned.

They were held in the Aurors office for hours while the details were being sorted out. No less than five wizards accompanied them as they were led to their trials in front of the Wizgonmant. The entire wizarding world watched, eager to witness their punishment for their crimes.

The three Malfoys were granted formal trials, which was more than what many captured followers were given. Narcissa was charged for the least out of the family, but she also held an important key she never expected to be used: Harry Potter.

Despite everything he had gone through, regardless of knowing the Malfoys true characters, and everything she ever thought or said to and about him, Harry Potter demanded that she be granted amnesty. He argued with the solid claim that, if it hadn't been for her actions in the woods to boldly lie to her master, the world would be looking a lot different now.

No one argued against Harry Potter.

Somehow the savior's unchallenged sentiment blanketed over Draco as well, which managed to grant him a reluctant amnesty alongside his mother. It was Lucius who was left scared and fearful. He was not offered any pardon from Harry, so he was forced to plead guilty to his current and past charges. His hope faded with each passing second while his sin was laid out in the open for all to absorb. Lucius' pride was on the line, and in a last desperate attempt for freedom, the offer he blurted piqued the interests of the Wizgonmant just enough to accept his terms for a clean record – legally anyway.

Even the purest of governments could be swayed in some way.

Yet amnesty did not come cheap for the patriarch, and it did not come without conditions. There was always a price. A false amnesty may have been given, but the burden that came with it affected his entire family.

Lucius' valuable information, delivered with his eloquent charisma, was his only saving grace. The fines and community service was manageable, but all of the dark wizards artifacts and heirlooms – cursed or otherwise – had been permanently confiscated. The Manor, once home to many generations of Malfoys, was condemned for the very fact that it was the Death Eaters' headquarters. The loss of the ancient family's property was devastating, and it only hardened the hatred in Lucius' heart on the outcome of the new world.

Narcissa was not as bitter from the results of the trial, her family was safe, that was all that mattered. Yet she was still burdened with her own issues of losing many family heirlooms in the seizing of their property. She was also distraught with the loss of her sister, and concerned about the wellbeing of her son.

Draco had remained compliant to following the family's traditions to court and marry a suitable witch once the war ended. It was for the sake of seeking out some kind of security and familiarity in the reformed world more than anything else. A quiet, peaceful life was all that was asked for, but Narcissa knew her son was not happy. He buried away all the wrong that happened in his life – the bullying, the torturing, the plotting, the almost-murders, the feelings – determined to erase the past completely. His only reminder of it all marred the skin on his arm. He dared never look at it again.

Why change traditions he had grown so accustomed to when everything else around him already was forced to change? Draco simply wanted to make his parents happy and proud of him again.

Amnesty was granted to the Malfoys for their crimes, but not in the way they expected. Their view of the world shifted drastically, and the name Malfoy was nothing more than a whispered curse under the breaths of their equals.

Nothing came without consequences.

* * *

 _Originally written for:_

The Houses Competition

 **Word count:** (Per Google Docs) 765


	5. Serenity (Ch1)

**Author's Note:** This is a flash-forward continuation story to _Ferret in a Weasel's Den_ and is in Astoria's perspective. It was all done intentionally since it is a huge key in not only getting little Scorpius into the picture, but to show just how damaging her wrath will be to Draco and Scorpius. The next two chapters will take place directly after the events in this one.

There are purposely made misspellings and broken sentences in this story. They are all in a not quite 3.25 year old's dialogue, and having an almost 3.5 year old myself, he pretty much talks exactly how I wrote it, so... yeah! Accuracy and stuff for the win? If you don't like that, well...

* * *

 **Rated:** T

 **Genre:** Family, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Angst

 **Summary:** Trapped in a loveless marriage she never wanted, Astoria lies in wait like a snake in the grass, biding her time until the right moment strikes for her to finally be free. She could care less what Draco did in the aftermath.

 **Warning:** Premeditated Abuse/Poisoning, Verbal Abuse, Implied Verbal Abuse Occurring in front of a Child, Poisoning with Intent to Harm, Manipulation of a Child, Brief Mentions of Fertility Issues, Homophobia.

* * *

 **Serenity**

 _10th of April, 2009_

It was not going to be just another mundane day for Astoria Malfoy. She wasn't going to go through the motions of being the perfect trophy wife, the perfect mother, or the perfect pureblood for her family. Not anymore. She was the first to wake in the modest three-bedroom home she resided in with Draco and her son, Scorpius, and immediately set to work on the carefully planned out day.

She dressed in one of her best dresses made of blue silk because today was special; it was her birthday, and everything had to be perfect because she was going to finally be free of this life she loathed. Emerging through the door and stepping into the narrow hall, the two doors she faced were still closed and her lips quirked at the corners in knowing the other two were still asleep, it gave her time to quietly slip away outside for a moment without notice.

The witch walked along the gardens path as she lightly brushed her hands over her freshly-bloomed red dahlias she specially planted for this event. It may be a symbol of betrayal, but with its dark red petals tightly knit into its face, how could one not find beauty in it? It had taken her five years to formulate this plan and she set it in motion as soon as she was capable. It was crucial for it not fail now.

The fight the couple had the night before echoed across her mind, it was one they had on the regular for the last three months now, but she was sure they had come to an understanding that they were simply not working anymore. The seeds had been planted, and she hoped they had taken root after last night's watering.

Ever since Astoria was told she was to marry the ex-Death Eater upon her graduation, she was instantly terrified for her future. The Malfoys had been stripped of their wealth, their very _dignity_ , and it fell on _her_ to mend _their_ mistakes? Why did _she_ have to damage herself for _them_? What made her so special that required her to show the world that the Malfoys were reformed and good people that just needed a second –third?– chance? Was it because her family was neutral during the perils of war, or was it because they remained in good standing with everyone who mattered in the aftermath?

Marrying Draco Malfoy was the worst thing to ever happen to her, but she had heard it from both of their families that she would _learn_ to love him, she would _learn_ to take her role as a wife and be _happy_ raising an heir. It was her duty to aid in placing the family in a positive light where it counted for their sake. But she was not happy, and her words fell on deaf ears as she watched her life be signed and sealed away on parchment. Toneless vows were exchanged, her modest dowry offered to the now humbled Malfoy heir was what was used to purchase the home they now lived in, since he had none to offer. She had made sure the deed was only in her name, it was she who paid for it, so why should he have his name on her property?

He had no job, and obtaining one was near impossible without leaving the country – who would want a Death Eater working for them? The lack of personal finances meant the newlyweds needed to find some form of income, so she managed to become a shareholder with her father's help to supplement them, as well as an adept event planner.

Thankfully, as the job had a high demand for the reformed ministry, Astoria always found herself planning some form of party or important business meeting with out of country ministers. She did all this while continuing to fix Draco's reputation with the world. She hated it all, and had to find a way out before her entire life was thrown away to the helpless man she never wanted to call husband.

Despite her opinions on them, Astoria made sure to get very close with her in-laws. She humored them, befriended them, and considered them to be the best second set of parents to ever have. She had them in her pocket. They adored her for being the doting wife that their son desperately needed and the daughter they never had. They counseled her during her hardships on conceiving during those long and daunting first few years of marriage, and it all fell into place from there once she managed to give the family an heir. It was unfortunate that that stage of the plan took so much time to get past.

She never really wanted to be a mother, but it was part of the contract that she had to fulfill in order to remain presentable to the public eye. Her image was all that mattered to her. The contract bound Astoria to this nightmare, and she worked tirelessly to seek out its secret loopholes. The only way she found that would free herself from it was if Draco became unfaithful to her. It worked in the reverse as well, but she couldn't take the heat, or she'd forever be branded as a scandalous pariah. It would ruin her and her family, and that wouldn't do. It had to be _him._ He took nine years away from her, and she was going to take it all back and more.

Astoria was the snake in the grass no one dared to want to cross paths with.

Coming through the side-entrance to the kitchen, Astoria grabbed a vase and filled it with some water to place the freshly picked red dahlia in. She flicked her wand to have it lazily float over to become the table's centerpiece before she went to prepare a lovely breakfast for the three of them. By the time she was almost done, little Scorpius had wandered up to her, his eyes overly bright and curious for just waking up. He peered up at her and what she was doing. Scorpius was always so fascinated by magic.

"Mornin', Mama," he mumbled out.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" she inquired while swishing her wand at the cabinets, summoning the tableware to neatly set themselves while Scorpius watched with glee.

"Yeah. Twas' good." He wandered over to the table and climbed up onto the chair that had a booster on it to help him be properly level with the table.

Astoria followed with a fresh plate of her favourite breakfast: raspberry pancakes, complete with other toppings to compliment the flavor. She helped her son fix his plate before preparing her own.

"Where's Fatar?" Scorpius glanced around the room as he asked, barely adding the sound of the r at the end of the word.

She had to refrain from letting out an annoyed huff at the question. Instead she gave a stiff smile before preparing to take a bite of food. "He's not feeling well, honey. He'll be down when he's ready. Go ahead and eat, okay?"

He gave a nod before quickly tucking into the scrumptious meal. It was unusual to eat while one of them was missing, but today it didn't matter anymore. This was _her_ day.

"So what did you do yesterday, sweetie?" Astoria inquired. This was a regular question she asked Scorpius when Draco took him out.

It was a way to gather information, and a normal thing a parent would ask their child anyway. Even if the answers were coming from someone who could barely string a coherent sentence together half the time, she still liked to know what happened in her absence. Draco never told her much of anything.

"Just Dee-gon Alley," Scorpius replied, kicking his feet in the empty space under the table while taking another bite.

"What did you do there?"

"We stop lots at red shop, 'gain," he said with a sigh.

"Again?" she probed, curious as to what he meant.

"Yeah. We do it lots." He went quiet for a moment as he prodded at his food.

"So you go inside the red shop a lot?" Astoria pressed on. "What does it sell?"

"No, jus' ouside," Scorpius clarified. "Um… fun stuff. But Fatar never looks at tat. Jus' te red people."

This had her utterly confused, but what did she expect from an almost three-and-a-half year-old? "Red people?"

He gave a shrug, but then she saw that he remembered something and it perked up his visage. "It's your birfday!"

Astoria gave him a light smile, surprised that he could remember something like that. Children were still so foreign to her, even if she had one of her own. "Yes, it is."

He got up and went to give her a very tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birfday, Mama. You so pretty today. I luf you."

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you, too." She gave him a kiss on the top of his almost translucent blond hair before he went and resumed his seat.

"I got you present to make you not be sad no more!" he blurted suddenly.

Before she could address the comment, a smile graced his face as he continued. "I dunno where, toe."

"Where what?"

Before Scorpius replied, Draco finally emerged from upstairs to join them. He said nothing to the pair about starting breakfast without him. Instead, he just sat down rather abruptly and pressed his face into his hands. He looked utterly terrible, which meant the potion she spiked his drink with last night was working.

"Are you okay, Daddy?"

Draco muttered something incoherent while Astoria already went and retrieved a mug of freshly made coffee to offer him. He accepted it without a single word and all she could do was watch him intently as he sipped at it. Scorpius watched with concern, pushing his mostly finished plate toward his father.

"Here, food make you better," Scorpius offered, wanting to help him stop feeling sick.

Astoria watched as what little color Draco had slowly return to him as he finally addressed his son. "Thank you, Scorp'. But I'll be okay."

He reached over to ruffle his sons hair before sliding the plate back to him. "Finish your breakfast, though. I'll get my own."

He glanced over at Astoria, who offered a concerned expression in return. But he didn't seem interested in properly addressing her this morning, and she was entirely fine with that. What she didn't expect was the overly observant child that watched his parents like a hawk during the most inconvenient of times, and had a tendency to voice his concerns whenever they arose.

"Mama you sad 'cause Fatar's is?"

Her gaze locked onto her son at the question, unsure as to what to say. How could he tell she was unhappy? She made sure her outward appearance was perfect at all times around him, never frowning, never crying, never speaking about anything that would hint at her being upset. What brought him to conclude that she was sad? She had to force herself not to glare at Draco; this was yet another something to tack onto his endless list of faults – exposing their weaknesses to their kid.

"Why do you think we are sad, sweetheart?"

"Cause he love you no more, so you fight," Scorpius pointed out, looking to Draco then. "You like boys, huh Daddy?"

The air went deathly still in the room. What color Draco did have on his face was gone in an instant, and Astoria was completely struck with so many things at once that she had to mentally tell herself to not split her face open with a victorious smile. This was not part of the plan, but it certainly would work into it _very_ well. Her gaze snaked over to Draco where they settled heavily on their prey, ready for the kill. His head rested in his arms for the longest time, his hand gripped tightly in his hair. She saw Scorpius fidget in his chair in the corner of her eye from the prolonged silence.

"Is tat not okay, Mama?" he asked hesitantly, looking between the two.

"S-Scorpius, son," Draco stuttered out, barely turning his head to face him. "Could you go upstairs and get–" he let out a labored, pained breath. "–and go find your mother's gift for her, please?"

Scorpius gave a slow nod, carefully climbing out of his chair before quickly retreating for the stairs. Astoria listened for the sound of him ascending them and waited for the door to creak to a close. Her eyes sharpened to daggers as she got to her feet.

"How _dare_ you!" she spat, slamming her hands down on the table, causing the vase in front of Draco to jump and fall over.

The red dahlia looked up at the blond as he flinched at her reaction. "I have given you _everything_ we have ever needed in order to be happy despite your transgressions, and now _this!_ "

Draco had no fight in him, he simply stared down that dark red flower and its strange petals while Astoria set loose the core of her plan with newfound knowledge. His lack of defending himself told her plenty; it meant that what Scorpius said was true.

"How could you do this to me? To _us_?" She gestured to the stairs as she continued. "And to see that you've tainted our own son into thinking that this sickness of yours is okay?"

He stood up suddenly and glared at her.

"Sickness?" He scoffed, running a hand through his hair with a wince. "He doesn't even know or understand what he's talking about, and you're going to accuse me over something he says?"

Astoria's eyes narrowed even more, reaching for words to say, she let out a hollowed laugh. "Scorpius isn't stupid, Draco. Clearly he knows something is wrong with you."

Draco shook his head in disbelief, but she was not going to back down now. He was cornered, she held the power over him. The poison she gave him helped hinder his mindset, the headache inducer was a dangerous experiment to try for risking it to be traced back to her, but it was worth it as it was working quite effectively. Draco covered his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. She clenched her jaw and bit her lip, looking out to the garden where her red dahlias glimmered brightly in the sun.

"I knew we had our share of troubles after the several discussions we've had as of late. I thought we came to an agreement on what we were going to do from here. But this–" she swatted the air in front of him, unable to actually say the word that burned on her tongue. "– _this_ makes everything become so crystal clear. I'm glad we found our common ground, our _understanding_ of one another now, because this cannot be fixed!"

Her tone shrieked and he recoiled from it. Her lip twitched at the sight, but she kept her facade up. Another slam of her hand made the table jump, and he sunk back into his chair in utter defeat. "You absolutely disgust me, Draco Malfoy! We're _through_!"

Astoria only glimpsed the miniature version of Draco at the base of the stairs before she turned and fled for the side door. She slammed it hard for good measure, and the cruel smile finally escaped her as she looked over her beautiful flowers, brushing a hand over each of them as she walked past with purpose. Her smile only grew as she felt her heart lift, released from this heavy weight she had carried for years.

Her plan worked brilliantly, and the rest of it was already on standby, waiting to be set loose like ravenous dogs. She'd be gone by morning, leaving the papers behind for him to sign that will officially release her of this tragedy. Word will leak of his alleged infidelity and infatuation with men, and the public would pounce on it faster than throwing money on the ground. The notice to vacate would be right behind it. She needed to get rid of this home, and she already had a buyer waiting quite impatiently for it.

Not that she needed it, but Astoria even had someone willing to step forward and confirm the story and suspicion if things started working against her. He will be marked as the unfaithful one, that was the story she had carefully spun in her web of lies for so long. Why would the loving and caring wife ever lie? Why would the husband ever want to cheat on someone like her?

Everyone would believe her by now, the fabricated stories told through the years were concrete. This new piece of news will make it all the better; no one in the pureblood society will want him as an employee, his pathetic job he scraped in – that _she_ found him – would be lost because of it. What little reputation he salvaged among them will be stripped clean, and she will watch from afar with a smile on her face as his world properly burned. She supposed she could leave him his heir; she never wanted him, anyway. He was part of the reason why it took so long for her to be free from this life due to her trouble to conceive. It was just another thorn to be removed from her side.

She couldn't wait to be back in Greece with the freedom to start a fresh life and find true happiness. Finding the stone bench placed under the willow tree, Astoria sat down and closed her eyes, absorbing the warmth of spring and the fresh breeze around her. This must be what serenity felt like.

"Mama?"

A small voice startled her from her thoughts. Astoria looked to the little boy that stood a couple meters away. He held a lavender colored gift bag in his hands, grey eyes glistened with unshed tears. She held out her hand to him and he hesitantly went to her and sat down.

"I got you present," Scorpius muttered, offering the bag to her.

She accepted the small gift but didn't open it right away. "Thank you, dear."

Astoria wrapped an arm around him and gave him a weak half-hug, she wasn't sure how much Scorpius had heard her say to Draco, but she didn't anticipate having to explain what was going on to him at all. It was a small hope that she could get away with it and leave it to his father to figure it all out, but the child still sought her out even after witnessing what happened in the house. She had completely underestimated him, thinking that a child his age would be oblivious to most things going on around him, but she was wrong. He knew – to some extent – something was wrong between his parents despite her extreme measures to hide the rift she created between her and Draco.

Scorpius rested his head against her side, allowing her to feel his small frame shake from a quiet sob he released. "A-are you leafing, Mama?"

"Sweetheart, I want you to listen carefully okay?" She lifted his chin up so she could look at him properly.

Tears trickled from the corners of his eyes, but he didn't look away and seemed prepared to listen.

"Mama and Father are having to work through a lot of things, grown up things, and it is going to be hard for us to do." Astoria gave his baby fine hair a comforting stroke.

"You say you were tr-ough," he whimpered out before she could continue. "I brok-ed you and Daddy."

It was not intended to be a question she knew, he felt responsible for the couple falling apart and she was at a loss on how to smooth that over and ease this weight that he carried. It was the motherly thing to do to try and calm a child's worries, wasn't it?

He was holding back another heavy sob, she could tell by the rough tone to his voice.

"I no mean too. I sorry." Scorpius continued, fresh hot tears gushing from his eyes. "I ca-an fix it! I can, ri-right?"

Astoria took the hem of her dress and tried to wipe the boys face while attempting to find something to say to him to calm his fears. He was quickly spiraling, but she needed to keep him from doing that otherwise she would have to dump the weeping mess on Draco. He was better at calming Scorpius down, but she really didn't want to hear the harsh scolding from him right now.

"Scorpius, please try and calm down, okay? For Mama, please?"

He swallowed hard, tucking his lower lip under his teeth while squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears. A heavy, stuttering breath shook his little body while she held him, stroking his hair. She waited for him to calm himself.

"This is not your fault, alright? You did nothing wrong at all. Do not think that you ever broke anything between us," she assured, kissing the top of his head while gently rocking him. "Sometimes grown ups say things they do not mean when they are upset. But you know what you can do? You can help plenty by just being yourself, okay? Can you keep doing that while Mama and Father fix what he broke? It will really help things get better, can you do that for me?"

Astoria already knew what was going to unfold next, but Scorpius didn't need to know. Draco didn't need to know – only she was entitled to know what was going to happen in her immediate future. She felt Scorpius give a jerky nod and she hugged him tightly.

"I promise everything will get better, it will just take a little bit of time, alright?"

"Okay."

He pulled away after a while, wiping his face on his sleeves while sniffing hard. He looked at her with puffy eyes, but the tears had finally stopped much to her relief. "Wi-will your present help you fe-eel bedder?"

She gave a weak smile, grabbing the bag and placing it back in her lap. "Of course it would. Will it help you?"

Scorpius nodded slowly, wiping at his face and eyes again to erase his suffering. She carefully grabbed the wrapped item from the bag and removed the paper to reveal a beautiful silver hairpin in the shape of a peacock feather. The metal was embossed with a lovely pattern of small green and blue gems scattered across it. The largest gem centered near the rounded part of the feather was a large oval shaped lapis lazuli – her favourite stone.

"Der's anoter," he informed, sounding a bit apprehensive to tell her.

Giving a nod, Astoria pulled a second wrapped item from the bag and quickly revealed it to be a matching brooch. The peacock was silver with some designs embossed in it, and blue and green gems speckled across its feathers like the hairpin. It's eye had a smaller lapis lazuli placed in it, along with the center of the feathers as well. The two items matched perfectly – just how she liked to do with these pieces of jewelry.

"They're beautiful, sweetie."

"Da–" Scorpius caught himself, worrying his lip some. "I pick tem for you."

She offered a soft smile. "You chose very well. I love them. Thank you, dear."

Giving her little boy another kiss on the top of his head, he turned to give her a proper hug. "I hope tey make it all budder."

"They certainly will, honey."

He pulled back and got to his feet, looking toward the house with concern. Astoria placed a light hand on his shoulder. "He is not mad at you, sweetheart. You don't have to be afraid."

"Okay…"

"Let's go get you cleaned up, sound good?" She placed the items back in the bag and got up, moving her hand to grab hers.

Scorpius nodded and the two walked back to the house, only pausing a moment for him to pick her a dahlia that she then tucked behind her ear. Astoria smiled broadly again when she looked back to the house, remembering that she was finally free from its prison once and for all.

* * *

 _Originally written for:_

The Houses Competition

Monthly Challenges for All

 **Word count:** (Per Google Docs) 4,070


	6. Help Wanted (Ch2)

**Help Wanted**

 _17th of April, 2009_

The good news was that he would never do it again, but the bad news was that Draco still had to beg for a job without making it seem like he was doing just that was a challenge. Having a not-quite three-and-a-half year-old traipsing in his wake didn't help much, either. It was humiliating, to say the least, but he had no choice anymore.

It was a daunting task. Walking out of yet another shop that laughed them out the door, Draco lost even more hope to find _something_ that could sustain them at the Inn for a little while longer. What little money he had to his name was quickly dwindling.

"I wanna go home. Why can't we?" Scorpius whined as he slowly fell behind.

Draco huffed and picked him up, not needing to lose him in the crowd on top of everything else.

"Because we don't have one." His tone was harsh, but unintended.

Scorpius laid his head against Draco's shoulder, letting out a yawn. "Why not? Where's Mama?"

"Mama took our home away, Scorp. All we have is each other now."

"Why?"

Draco loathed the fact he needed to tell him something, but what could he say that wouldn't be a bald faced lie?

"She didn't want us anymore."

He was still trying to process everything himself. It was an understatement to say Draco's world was turned completely upside-down in a heartbeat. Astoria had disappeared without a trace over a week ago. The home they shared was sold, divorce papers were made, and almost everything else was taken or auctioned right from under him. His parents were furious with him from the sudden turn of events and refused to help in any way other than offering to take Scorpius. Draco declined, unable to tolerate their narrow mindedness of him and his new predicament.

They were on their own now.

Pausing in front of a brightly red-colored storefront, it was the only shop he had yet to try, but it was also one he purposely avoided. It had a conveniently placed _'Help Wanted'_ sign in the window he didn't recall seeing earlier. As Scorpius started to sag his little body against him from exhaustion, Draco knew he was going to have to swallow his pride and at least try. Despising the fact he'd be losing his very dignity in doing so, he approached the store anyway.

"We never go here, Fatar," Scorpius muttered when Draco reached for the door.

"That reason is moot now, Scorp."

* * *

 _Originally written for:_

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)

Monthly Challenges for All

The Houses Competition

 **Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 420


	7. A New Life (Ch3-C)

**A New Life**

 _April 17th, 2009_

Draco Malfoy never imagined himself setting foot into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for any reason in his adulthood, much less with the intent of seeking work. He never thought he would ever have to even _look_ or _ask_ for a job, for that matter. These drastic shifts in his life after the War were starting to feel like a twisted game, and he was not liking it one bit. Amnesty may have been granted, but not without conditions.

Malfoy Manor was usurped right out from under them simply because it was the Death Eater Headquarters. The outrageous fines – labeled 'restoration donations'– nearly wiped the vaults. As a result, the Malfoys settled into a smaller estate, and Draco continued to follow pureblood customs for familiarities sake. He courted Astoria Greengrass, married, and sired an heir, as all good pureblood sons did.

Draco thought he had established a stable, quiet life, until Astoria decided she was done. Her abandonment of him and their young son threw all of his recovery plans completely off balance.

When he went to his parents, they were furious with him. Purebloods didn't _divorce,_ purebloods were never _unfaithful_ , purebloods never expressed _abnormal feelings_ towards their same sex. Unable to set aside their delusional, prejudiced, bigoted customs fabricated from the Dark Ages to help their son, they shut him completely out and turned their backs.

Just like how the shops were turning him away, too. Draco needed a job, and he needed lodging. What little money he had on hand dwindled each day he came up with nothing. The owners had taken one look at his son and scoffed at the idea of having a potential employee's _child_ hanging about the store. Draco had no one to watch him, and so the negotiations to keep Scorpius with him while working was denied.

Entering the only store left in the Alley when his funds could no longer carry him, Draco saw that the store wasn't busy, which did little for his nerves. Setting the exhausted Scorpius on the ground, the very young boy peered around at all the merchandise that surrounded him in complete awe.

"Stay by me, understand?"

"But—"

"And don't touch anything," Draco added.

Scorpius scowled at the order. After bypassing the shop several times and seeing all the bustling activity going on inside, it always caught his attention and piqued his interest. Now that he was finally on the other side of the glass, he was upset to not be able to properly explore it.

"Look who finally came in after so many years of spying from the window," one of the twins announced while they descended from the stairs.

Both Draco and Scorpius jumped when the other apparated right in front of them. "About time, I say. Was starting to get weird after a while."

"I wasn't spying," the blond hissed, "It's hard to ignore the ruckus going on when passing by is all."

The two just gave a slow, brow-raised nod as if to say: " _Sure it was."_

"So what can we do you for?"

The two got right to the point.

"Care to stock up on more Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder?"

"Or how about something similar like the Tele-Snapper?"

Draco decided that this was one of the worst ideas he had ever followed through with as he half-listened to their indirect teasing.

"Both are great getaway quick gadgets—"

"But you already know that, eh Malfoy?"

Scorpius giggled at the fast paced, back-and-forth talk the twins exchanged. This caught one of the twins' attention, who glanced around Draco to spot the boy clinging to his father's robes.

"You talk silly," Scorpius stated when he met their gaze.

"Ah, he has a wee one now—"

"Looks just like him, too. Unsurprising, really."

"Strong genes."

Draco refrained from rolling his eyes. Placing a hand on Scorpius' shoulder when he started to step forward, he gently pulled him back. This was a sign the boy was comfortable around these two already, and if his son was okay with someone, then it was going to be a chore to get him to leave.

"They always talk like that, Scorpius. It's dreadfully annoying," the blond jabbed, reconsidering the entire reason that he had entered the store.

The twin who noticed Scorpius knelt down to be eye level with him. He subconsciously stepped closer to his father, but he didn't take his eyes off the ginger in front of him. "Wanna see a cool trick?"

Scorpius' eyes lit up and he nodded, eager to see something as fascinating as what he'd seen through the windows before.

"No, no tricks," Draco snapped.

Scorpius folded his arms and huffed.

"Lighten up, mate. I promise it's harmless."

Scorpius piped up, noticing something. "Your ear's gone."

"Scorpius—" Draco was cut off.

"It is?" Acting surprised, the twin covered the area where most of his ear was missing. "You're absolutely right! That bugger ran off again. Couldn't have gone far. Must be somewhere about here."

Scorpius broke into a fit of laughter as the ginger dramatically looked around. "Do you see it anywhere?"

The little boy pointed in front of him. "Over 'tere! In yellow box!"

Before Draco could stop whatever was transpiring between the two, the other twin made quick work in distracting him while Scorpius bolted in the direction of the alleged missing ear.

"You're here for the job, right?" Draco turned his attention to the twin standing beside him. It was then he saw the nametag pinned on Fred's suit.

"How—"

"Why else would you be here?" Fred directed Draco away from the two who were now roaming around the shop on an Ear Scavenger Hunt. "We've seen you marching back and forth past our shop for the last week, figured it wasn't for leisure after the third day. Especially with that look you had on your face."

Draco tried to keep his attention on Scorpius and wasn't fully paying attention to Fred. He watched his son hold up a yellow box to George with a fake ear inside. "He'll be fine. George loves entertaining children."

Scorpius was giggling like crazy as George stuck the toy to the side of his face, tucking the other in his pocket, and completely ignoring the red cord that attached them.

"How do I look?"

"Funny! You haf string on it."

"It'll think twice before running off again, wouldn't it?"

"Let's get on with the interview, hm?" Fred started for the stairs but Draco halted at their base.

This was some sort of trick. Call it intuition, but he just knew it had to be. After giving it a quick thought, Draco didn't recall a sign being in the window when he started the task of looking for a job. He was not going to fall for it, not this time. He couldn't remember how many times he'd fallen for the Weasleys' tricks during his school years, but it was enough to make him feel foolish, gullible, humiliated, and hurt.

"I think I'll pass, actually."

Draco turned to hone in on Scorpius, about to summon him over, but he was caught up on how happy the boy looked running around the joke shop with George and handing things to him while asking him how the gadget worked. It felt like ages since he'd seen his son genuinely happy for a change.

"Not sure why you would. You can have the job," Fred declared with a grin.

The blond looked at Fred, completely puzzled at what he just said. "Why?"

"You know how to count?"

"Yes?"

"How to organize, record inventory, and have people skills?"

Draco rolled his eyes. " _Yes_."

"Might need some work on the latter, but you're hired. We always need someone to do the grunt work around here, and you fit the criteria."

Draco was rendered speechless, he was not expecting the twins to even bother humoring him with the idea of a proper interview solely based on past events alone. But to right out tell him he could take the position just like that? Something strange was amiss.

"Splendid," Draco said dryly.

Scorpius came up to him during his thought process and tugged on his robes.

"Look! It fies!" Scorpius set the aviatombile off from his hand and watched it fly up into the air and buzz around their heads.

Draco caught the car and handed it to Fred. "I said not to touch anything."

Scorpius looked taken aback, and the tiredness in his eyes suddenly shone through again. Draco knew that he was treading on thin ice. His son was moments away from an exhaustive meltdown. He scooped him up and whispered an apology before addressing the two.

"Now you've done it," George quipped, seeing the unhappy face Scorpius plastered on. "It really isn't a problem. I gave it to him."

"That isn't the point," Draco huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I need to take him home to rest. I'll come back later."

"We no haf one, 'member?" Scorpius stated tiredly.

Draco mentally swore. Of all the things for his son to let slip, it had to be that. Everything grew quiet for a brief moment, and Draco wished he took the opportunity to disapparate out of there when he had the chance.

"He could sleep in the spare room upstairs," Fred suggested. "Gives us the opportunity to sort through the boring stuff to get you hired."

The blond was effectively surprised at the offer. "You're serious?"

"Thought it was quite simple, actually. We need an employee, you need a job—" George started.

"So let's get the tyke settled in and get on with it, yeah?" Fred skipped up the stairs with George following close behind.

Draco was unsure of what just happened, but slowly followed the pair up. Scorpius already sagged heavily against him, so he knew he was fading quickly. It was strange going into their flat to leave his kid there, but he wasn't going to waste the opportunity that had fallen into his hands like it did. He was that desperate for work that he didn't care where it came from, or from whom, anymore.

Everything was soon sorted, gone through, and signed. It seemed too easy to Draco, but he was an official employee of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes now. The uniform was atrocious and he made sure to verbalize his absolute disgust about it.

"You will not catch me dead wearing these _magenta robes_."

"Part of the job requirement. Sorry, mate."

Running his hands over his face, Draco snatched the ugly outfit from the pair and collected his paperwork. "I never did get around to saying thank you, did I?"

"No need to," George dismissed.

Fred escorted the blond back to their flat across from the office. "Just turn up tomorrow."

Draco looked in on his still sleeping son, not looking forward to waking him to leave. A hand was suddenly placed on his shoulder, making the blond freeze on the spot. He was not used to people just touching him leisurely and with such ease like that.

"Ya know, you could just stay here. That way there'd be no need to wake him up," George offered, peeking into the room at Scorpius.

"At the very least you'd have zero excuse to be late on the first day," Fred added. "Or any other day, for that matter."

Draco blinked slowly, looking at his slumbering son in bewilderment as he processed the very casual offer to move in with Fred and George Weasley.

 _'What's happening…'_

On any other day, the very thought of rooming with a Weasley would have made him sick to his stomach, or hex someone into oblivion for mentioning it. As he watched Scorpius peacefully sleep a couple meters away, Draco knew that staying in the Inn another night and ordering takeaway for dinner and breakfast would completely exhaust the last of his funds. If he accepted this proposal, then he'd at the very least have a clean exchange – work for a room was his only option now before he and his son were sleeping on the benches in the streets. After all, this was only temporary, and security was needed for Scorpius' sake right now.

"If you insist."

* * *

 _Originally written for:_

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Monthly Challenges for All

The Houses Competition

 **Word count:** (Per Google Docs) 2,042


	8. It's a Secret (Interlude)

**Author's Note:** This is a tie-in/branch off to _Starting New_ ( _Silver Fireworks_ Chapter 2) by spittingllama7856. It is not required to read in order to know what is going on, but we are collaborating, so for the best experience, read it, too!

This is another interlude with yet another time skip involved. Not quite a year has passed since Draco and Scorpius moved in with the twins, and I think we can safely assume that the three adults have kept a professional work environment between them even during the off-duty hours. Of course the twins have become quite taken with Scorpius, and he to them, so there was a lot more bonding going on between them that was obviously unstoppable. A kid to act like a kid with living with them is the perfect recipe for the twins, amirite?

The next chapter will parallel with this one and then continue on from that one for a couple chapters before the next Interlude. :D

* * *

 **Rated:** K

 **Genre:** Humor

 **Summary:** Secrets are fun to keep, even when they're accidentally mentioned.

* * *

 **It's a Secret**

 _13th of March, 2010_

The twins simply knew him as The Ferret at school. Never did they expect him to show up on their doorstep with a three-year-old in tow, broke, and nowhere else to go as he all but begged for a job. Fred and George knew what they were getting themselves into when they employed the bloke and gave them the spare room in their flat. They told themselves they did it for the kid.

Scorpius had the twins wrapped around his little finger, the two utterly adored him. The months ticked by and the bond between the three only grew. His happiness meant the world to them, and they knew it meant the world to Draco, too.

Time had played its hand in breaking the blond's soul, and they wanted to be the ones to help heal it. He was more than an employee and flatmate to them, he just didn't know it yet.

"Hey Scorp', want to know a secret?" George asked the four-year-old he was watching while Fred took Draco to be integrated in at the Burrow.

Scorpius' eyes lit up like a firework at the knowledge of being trusted with a secret. He scooted closer to the ginger who was sitting on the floor with him to be able to hear George better.

"What is it?" he whispered, forgetting that the two were alone in the spacious flat.

"Fred and I have taken quite a liking to your father, and we wanted to know if that was okay with you?" George could barely finish as Scorpius suddenly hug tackled him.

"Doesthismeanyoucanbemydaddiesnowtoo?" he rattled out so fast George had to have him slow down and repeat himself.

"Only if you're alright with it, that is," the ginger chuckled.

The kid's head was nodding so much it was a wonder it didn't pop off. "I'm glad. But it has to stay a secret for now, alright?"

The kid nodded again, but the grin didn't disappear.

"Here, I made something just for you."

Scorpius accepted the red bouncy ball and put a hand over his mischievously smiling mouth to indicate a silent promise.

 **.oOo.**

"Father! Look!"

Scorpius squealed later that evening after his father returned from his outing. He promptly took the bright red bouncy ball and stretched it out, pushing his face in it so it outlined him grinning through a now sparkling-gold rubber wall. When he pulled back, it snapped back into the shape of a red bouncy ball. Draco couldn't think of what to say at the demonstration while his son continued to stretch and bounce it around. It definitely was a Weasley invention, and it _had_ to be in Gryffindor colors. They were poking fun at him, he just knew it.

"Where did you get this from?" Draco asked, poking at the ball.

"It's a secret," Scorpius said quickly with a grin so large it lit up his eyes.

Draco didn't like the sound of that. "What secret?"

Realizing his mistake, Scorpius got up and ran down the hall, throwing the bouncy ball behind him to distract an already confused Draco. "Daddy! I messed up!"

 _'Daddy?'_

* * *

 _Originally written for:_

The Houses Competition

 **Word count:** (Per Google Docs) 523


	9. Integration (Ch1)

**Author's Note:** I thought switching perspective was in order again, so here we are inside the mind(s?) of one of the twins: Fred. This was a lot more difficult to write than anticipated, Draco wanted to take over a lot (you can sort of tell in places). But I sent him to the corner and he behaved. Mostly. (He snuck in at the end.) There's a little rehash in the beginning, but it is from Fred's side of things, so a new perspective on it all (a little anyway). I hope I did Fred justice, he is more "mellow" I suppose?

This is also a branch off to something my friend Blue Rose (spittingllama7856) mentioned in her story, We Have Cookies (Ch. 3 of her Silver Fireworks collection). Feel free to go read it! My own collection interweaves with her stories as well, but most can be read as stand alone pieces.

Sorry for the premature upload! I have no idea what I was doing, and uploaded my draft version. Here is the polished version!

Thank you for being so patient with me while I trudge through my real life things.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Rated:** T

 **Genre:** Humor, Family

 **Summary:** Fred thought it would be a great idea to take Draco to the Burrow to meet his mum. Innocent and harmless, right?

 **Warning:** Mentions of 2nd hand observations of anxiety.

* * *

 _13th of March, 2010_

Fred was surprised Draco had agreed to come with him to his childhood home—leaving Scorpius behind with George back at home—on a whim with little thought behind the suggestion. The blond hadn't had a day off since he had first stepped through their shop's door, little Scorpius in tow, all but asking for work over a year ago. The twins hadn't asked what happened in the pureblood's life that lead him to their doorstep, and they still never bothered to inquire about it.

It seemed like the papers were right about Draco and Astoria's unpleasant fallout, but the twins knew the information wasn't all true. With _The Daily Prophets_ sketchy history, it was a surprise anyone still read it to this day.

It didn't really matter, it wasn't any of their business, anyway. They took them in for the kid's sake, gave Draco a job and the spare room in their flat, and they had yet to let go of the family of two since. If Draco wanted them to know, he would tell them in his own time.

What they both knew was that Draco desperately needed a break. Working every waking hour while rearing a four-year-old took its toll on the single father who insisted on doing everything on his own. Fred knew the Burrow wasn't the first place Draco would've picked—it most likely wasn't on his top one hundred list, or even on his radar at all—but he and George had an agenda: have their mum meet Draco.

The twins had no idea how Draco's employment and residence with them hadn't been noticed by their family. It wasn't like they were purposely hiding either of them from anyone, it just wasn't something they made a big fuss over when they hired him. Some very well placed coincidences kept the blond in the back of the store whenever a family member came bursting in with their kin to notice him behind the counter.

They weren't even sure how the public rumors didn't make it back to their parents. Surely the hearsay of Diagon Alley hadn't learned to mind their business so soon? Regardless, they didn't really care if anyone found out or not. The twins were showing a kindness, offering a place for a kid and his dad to stay, giving Draco a job to help get them back on their feet—that is what should really matter.

The two apparated out in a field not far from the rickety gate and broken down fence that lined the Burrow's property and ward lines. Fred had immediately started for the house, allowing the familiarity to guide him. It took him a moment to realize that Draco wasn't following, so he stopped to look back at him.

"Coming, mate?"

Draco was taking in the scenery, Fred noted. The passive facade he managed to hold as he scanned the unkept property multiple times was rather amusing. He could see the concentration it took to not crack such a finely tuned mask and reveal what he was really thinking. Fred glanced around him briefly, looking over the worn out shed perched on the back side of the property, his mother's garden that was always overgrown with vegetables on one side, the chickens that pecked and scratched the dirt near their coop on the other, and of course the Burrow itself stood front and center in all its crooked and quirky-shaped glory.

He knew it wasn't much to look at, but it was still home.

"I think I've changed my mind," Draco finally answered, scrutinizing the structure that towered behind Fred.

Fred looked back at him and saw that Draco now seemed very out of place there. The preened appearance of the blond still held that faint echo of his origins; his stature, squared shoulders, and not a single hair out of place reflected countless years of exposure and grooming from a wealth Fred would never know himself. Some habits never truly die. Draco was definitely going to be the white elephant in the room, but they had to start somewhere.

Approaching Draco, Fred casually placed a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the faint tension he felt from it. "It'll be fine. My mum should be the only one around at this hour, and I'd hate to leave ya standing out here while I go and enjoy a nice big ham sandwich on home-baked bread."

The chuckle that followed didn't seem to ease Draco's mind. He was overanalyzing again, based on his ever-shifting gaze. This was what Fred needed to avoid. This restless pattern of Draco's when he was in situations he'd rather not be in was one he and his brother had picked up on the moment they hired him. It caused bouts of anxiety and uncertainty, but he needed to know that it was going to be okay.

Bringing Draco to the Burrow was supposed to be a little getaway for him. Not only for a change of scenery, but someplace that felt a little homey where he could hopefully relax. Fred was certain no one was home besides his mother, so running into anyone else was slim. Though Molly always had an open door policy, so anyone could show up at any given time, Fred realized. He was willing to risk it anyway. It would do Draco some good to have a bit of a social interaction outside of the shop.

An idea crept into Fred's mind then.

"I'll flip you for it."

This puzzled the blond enough to have him direct his attention over to Fred. ' _Good,'_ he thought, ' _keep him distracted.'_

"What?"

Fred pulled a galleon from his pocket. "I'll flip you for it. I win, we go in. You win, we can go somewhere else for lunch, if you like."

"Are you being serious?" Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes at the silly game of chance Fred offered.

He noticed that the blond was eying the pristine galleon he held out between them. He wouldn't know just by looking at it, but it was one that Draco had used to buy Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder with so many years ago.

A couple of long seconds ticked by before Draco nodded in agreement.

"Call it." Fred flipped it high in the air between them.

Draco caught it as it descended and looked into his brown eyes. The flutter Fred felt in his chest was intoxicating as he grew lost in the silver-grey pools watching him.

"Tails," Draco said before opening his hand to reveal the answer.

Fred gave a smirk as he took the coin from Draco's hand, having it linger a split second longer than he needed to. "Onwards it is, then."

"I just want you to know if I don't make it back… you made me come here," Draco hissed, hesitantly following the redhead inside.

Fred just gave him one of those famous cryptic smiles.

The two entered the Burrow into the sitting room where their senses were immediately welcomed with the sweet smell of freshly baked bread.

"Honey bread. Amazing stuff, that is," Fred said, smirking.

Draco took in a deep breath and Fred knew it was a method to help keep calm. The smell of bread will certainly help that.

"Allow me to break the ice, eh?"

Fred proceeded into the kitchen where he knew his mother would be, leaving Draco behind to gather his bearings.

"Hey Mum," he greeted as Molly turned around to face him from the oven.

"Ah. Fred! This is a surprise," she said, embracing her son. "Slow day at the store? Would you like some lunch, or are you just dropping by to pick up something?"

Based on the way Molly's expression changed when she looked behind Fred, he knew she had immediately spotted Draco idling by the entrance.

"Lunch sounds fantastic," he replied before giving a light shake of his head. "But I wanted to introduce you to our new employee for the shop, actually."

He grabbed her arm and gently turned her away from the kitchen's entrance so she'd quit gaping with shock from seeing a Malfoy in her house.

"Please be nice to him. He… means a lot to us."

Slight realization dawned on his mother at the half-whispered explanation, and she gave him a slow nod in understanding.

Fred turned and gestured for Draco to come in. Draco stalled for a moment before stiffly approaching, looking directly at Molly as he stopped right beside Fred and held out his right hand to the matriarch.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Weasley."

His voice was so crisp and unshaken despite how nervous Fred knew he was. Fred found the skill admirable, even if it was also one of Draco's faults at times.

"A lie is a very poor way to say hello," Molly responded without thinking.

"Mum," Fred said, tone borderlining a scold.

A second ticked by before she accepted Draco's hand, placing her other hand on top of it. She gave a stiff, but warm smile. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Never in my many years did I expect to see you in my kitchen, but it does not excuse my rudeness. It's nice to officially meet you too, Draco."

Draco cleared his throat and tucked his hands into his pockets once his hand was released. "I understand. We share the same thought on that, at least."

Fred offered Draco a coy smile when he half-glared at him. Molly went back to busying herself with the oven where a lovely fragrance emitted from.

"I purposely brought you here on her breadmaking day," Fred explained as the pair watched her remove the honey-bread from the oven. "Sandwiches made from fresh bread is to die for."

He glanced at Draco who seemed perplexed by the idea. Fred wondered if he ever had a proper sandwich before that wasn't bite-sized.

Molly placed the bread on the counter before moving to the stove to stir something in a cooking pot and gave it a taste. Fred helped himself to a breadknife and a cooled loaf, placing it on a clean cutting board nearby. He then expertly started cutting even slices of it without hardly looking.

"Smells great, Mum. Supper?"

"Mmmhmm," she said, taking the towel tucked in her apron to dab at her face. "Stew in bread bowls."

Fred had sandwich fixings flying over his head from the icebox, grabbing at the cheese and meat that hovered around when he was ready for them, and then had them promptly sent right back to where they were. He occasionally looked over at Draco, who decided to make himself comfortable in one of the mismatched worn-in chairs at the table. Based on his strange expression, this was the first time he's witnessed people making food from scratch.

Molly and Fred soon took a seat. Fred slid into the chair beside Draco and sat the plates down in front of them. "Hope you brought your appetite."

Molly struck up conversation first, asking about the shop and how everything involving it went. Draco remained quiet for most of it, occasionally answering a couple questions with short answers while he wrapped his head around the idea that he had to use his hands to hold the sandwich. Fred was receiving mixed signals, he couldn't tell if Draco was simply being polite with his answers or if they were genuine. This was an obstacle both twins knew would be hard to cross. Was Draco truly comfortable living there and working for them? He was a difficult one to read, and it made it even more difficult to decipher when they hit a nerve with him at times.

"Thank you for making me lunch, dear," Molly said, gathering the plates as she stood. "I do quite appreciate it."

Fred cringed at the statement, looking to Draco with a silent gesture to motion that it was time to go. The signal was lost on the blond with a quirk of a confused brow.

"You know, since you're here, Fred. Would you do your dear old mother a generous favor?" Molly asked, turning from the sink to look back at Fred.

He immediately forced a smile, hoping it was something as mundane as cleaning up the kitchen. "Sure, Mum. What is it?"

"Well, I haven't had the chance to weed the garden lately, and now of course it's overrun with gnomes. I need to get out there and make a harvest soon, but I know those pesky things are going to be in the way and try to steal the crops if I try to do it now," Molly huffed out, turning to look out the window to her garden.

Fred flinched, and he could see from the corner of his eye that Draco looked quite confused and uncomfortable about the casual request.

"She is asking you to work?" Draco whispered.

Fred shrugged and got to his feet, making sure the sigh was heard. "Mum, I have a guest over. I'll be happy to come back over the weekend and bring George to help then."

"Oh, nonsense, it won't take that long, Fred," Molly countered, swatting the towel at him. "Besides, I wouldn't make George get on his hands and knees with his ver—" she paused, searching for the word, "—imbalance condition, you know that!"

Draco gently cleared his throat, having the two redheads look his way. The look in his eye when he glanced at Fred was cryptic before he focused on Molly. "Where is the washroom, Mrs. Weasley?"

"It's just up the first flight of stairs, first door on the left, Draco," she offered with a kind smile.

He nodded his dismissal and went to retreat when a light hand rested on his arm. Fred saw that brief wave of stiffness across his shoulders before it relaxed. "Please call me Molly, dear."

"Thank you, Molly," Draco said.

Fred watched him carefully head up the stairs, his own mind racing as to what Draco was thinking right now. Molly turned back to her son. "There's gloves on the porch. I'll fix you some squash juice while you're out."

Fred groaned and rolled his eyes, heading for the kitchen door. "You're not making Draco come out and help, are you?"

His mum scoffed. "Oh, Merlin no. I'm not that rude of a host."

"Please be nice, Mum. He… he doesn't know anything yet—about how we feel," Fred pleaded as he was being shoved out the door.

"Relax, son. This isn't my first walk around the park. I'm far too busy to make deep conversation, anyway," Molly promised, ushering him out. "Now those gnomes and weeds aren't going to be plucked themselves. I do appreciate it, dear."

Fred was feeling as nervous as Draco appeared once the door was securely shut. Grumbling, he grabbed the gloves and examined the garden. The dang thing was nearly spotless aside from a few stray weeds here and there, and there was no signs of gnomes or their nests anywhere.

This was not a part of the plan. That was already fulfilled: Introduce Draco to Molly. It was a success. Now their mother had her own agenda, and this was something Fred and George failed to anticipate.

Casting a few charms to quiet his movements, Fred crept around the corner and knelt under the kitchen window that his mother left wide open. He pulled an extendable ear from his pocket and, with great risk of getting caught, reached up and stuck it on the frame of the window where it camouflaged into the wood grain.

Fred listened to every sound the contraption picked up. Footsteps descended from the stairway. A wooden spoon scraped the edges of a pot, making its contents slosh around. Foot falls tapped against the creaky floorboards, and seconds later the sounds of fruit being expertly squeezed in the juicer was heard.

"Do you like squash juice?" his mom asked. Another piece of fruit was squeezed dry.

"Uh, I don't really know?"

It was easier to hear the tension in his voice than to see it on his person, Fred realized.

"Well, it's never too late to try new things."

More fruits were squished and Fred could smell their sweet smells in the air mixed with the bread and stew. "I do apologize for being so rude earlier. It's been a long time since the twins brought anyone home is all. They were quite taken with Lee, and I know he played a large part in helping build and running their shop all those years ago. Angelina was a lovely girl—"

' _No time for deep conversation my arse,'_ Fred thought. Some things will never fully heal, and losing Lee was just as devastating as when he thought George had died—twice.

When the wall blew up on George and Percy, Fred was with Lee fending off a pair of Snatchers somewhere else. One cast a nasty curse, and Lee shoved Fred out of the way, connecting with him instead. He questioned the act of foolish bravery up until recently when a moment of clarity had Fred realize that Lee lost his wand seconds beforehand from a disarming spell, rendering a blocking spell useless as a solution.

Angelina moved on to bigger and better things. She seemed quite happy with her life while she traveled with the Holyhead Harpies. They still kept in touch, and she always sent them postcards from her international travels, but she was nothing more than a great best friend to them after their sixth year.

Draco had remained quiet through the information dump his mother rambled through. Mostly about how much she despised the twins' store until finally coming to terms with their career path, like how she had to do with Bill and Charlie and their passions in life. Percy was the only one she managed to railroad into working at the ministry, but he didn't put up much of a fight about it like his brothers did, either.

"I heard that you have a son?"

Fred rolled his eyes. He had wondered when she was going to hedge on the papers smear articles about Draco and Astoria.

"Yes. His name is Scorpius, and is about four and a half years old now."

He sounded a tad more relaxed talking about Scorpius, but that didn't put Fred at ease. He wondered if he should interfere.

"Oh, a winter child. Got to watch out for them more, it seems. But it is still a lovely age. They're so inquisitive about everything around them. Of course my lot were quite fearless at that age, and a couple of the grandkids are now, too," his mum said with a chuckle. "We should arrange a playdate with him and the rest of the kids soon. I'm sure they'll love to interact with someone aside from another cousin."

"I'm sure Scorpius would like that," Draco politely said. Fred could only imagine what was going through his head about the request, though.

The talk revolved around Draco more as his mum prodded in order to get to know him better. Of course the common ground was found once Scorpius was mentioned. Molly could never resist talking about her grandchildren with anyone whose unlucky enough to be caught up in the conversation.

"You're a businessman, yes?" she prompted. "The _Prophet_ mentioned that you were working with the Department of Business Regulations?"

"In a way, I suppose," Draco said with hesitation. "I wasn't handling anything directly involved with the department. I worked behind a desk, doing whatever I was asked."

A slight scoff was heard to dismiss the raw honesty Draco had just dropped. Even Fred didn't know what he did before coming to them, so hearing him talk about it freely to his mother was shocking.

"I'm sure you do well with all that regardless. You'll help my boys do great things with their business now that you're taking care of them. They've talked about expanding for ages now, maybe they will finally get on with it."

"It's a possibility."

"Will you be staying for supper?"

"I am not sure—"

"Ah, well, there's always a spot at the table. I actually need to tend to the chickens, would you mind…"

Fred stopped listening at that point; instead he wanted to bury his face in the dirt at his feet from the lack of his mother's subtly. Hearing someone head for the front door, he shifted over so he could stand, brushed his legs off, and moved over to the garden. Better get it done and over with so he could bail Draco out before his mother had him dusting the rafters or something. Fred pulled up the few weeds in the carrot garden he could find and made a second survey over the fence line to make sure there were no gnomes lurking around before heading inside to clean up.

Draco wasn't anywhere to be found, and neither was his mother. Maybe she was giving him a house tour.

Fred brushed the thought aside, he'd look for them after he cleaned up and rummaged through his old room for some misplaced blueprints they needed back at the shop.

* * *

Draco descended the rickety stairs for the second time during his unexpected visit at the Burrow to a quiet ground floor. He had reluctantly helped Molly gather some eggs after she was finished with her juice-making, and he was now with her, making her daily rounds out on the property to feed the hens and goat. He took the opportunity to excuse himself back to the house to drop off the eggs and wash up again.

Animals were quite filthy, and he all but bathed in the small sink in an attempt to get the dirt off.

What he wasn't expecting was being in an unfamiliar house alone. Draco went to the kitchen and glanced out at the garden to see if Fred was there only to find a pristine garden with no one tending to it. He considered apparating out, but knew it would be quite inappropriate at this point if he did without saying goodbye. Some invisible force kept him from doing it when he first arrived earlier, and it seemed to be doing its work again now. Whatever the case, Draco was at his limit, and he needed to leave soon. Staying in a house that raised a large family was bound to be bad news for him if he overstayed his welcome and someone showed up. He was starting to miss Scorpius, anyway.

He heard a racket from upstairs, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a sound of someone recklessly taking the stairs two at a time, and Draco figured that it was Fred until—

"Mum! Did James leave his quidditch jersey here because—"

Draco stood frozen near the edge of the stairs, staring into the shocked and surprised face of Ginny Potter. Thankfully the intense awkwardness didn't last for more than a couple long seconds—not quite enough time for a hex to be set off at least. The interruption of a light snap Draco learned to recognize as Fred apparating broke the silence.

"Thank Merlin you found him for me, sis. I thought I lost him for good this time."

Fred approached Draco's side, pulling his attention away from Ginny for a moment when his shoulder was gently squeezed. He didn't know what to make of the statement or gesture.

Ginny quirked a brow, silently asking her brother why Draco was there.

"I thought maybe Mum would've liked to properly meet our new employee for the store. Nothing special," Fred explained. "But we were just leaving, actually. Business can't run itself."

"I see," Ginny said slowly. "Fairly new and interesting choice, hmm?"

Fred just shrugged.

Draco felt her intense gaze on him again, but he put on his best mask and attempted a half smile.

"Evening, Mrs. Potter. I'd say it's surprising to see you here but…"

"Wish I could say the same for you," she said.

Fred cleared his throat while gesturing for the door. "It's getting late, we better be getting back—"

A lot suddenly happened in a handful of seconds.

The Floo activated, the front door opened—as well as the kitchen side door—simultaneously. Draco felt the color drain from his face when he noticed the mantle clock showed that it was close to Molly's projected dinner time, and it seemed like everyone was showing up all at once to it.

Hermione stepped through the fireplace, brushing soot from her blouse while she cleared the space. "So sorry we're late, Molly. We—"

She went speechless when she noticed Draco.

Fred rubbed the back of his neck, and Draco felt his skin prick from all the sudden attention. He barely noticed that cryptic Weasley smirk coming from Ginny when Fred grabbed his arm in an attempt to get him out of the house.

"Granger," Draco found himself saying before looking over her shoulder at the fireplace that activated again.

Two little ones sprang out squealing loudly for Grandma Molly, not even taking notice of the awkward tension emitting from the adults.

"Hermione, you forgot your bookbag," Ron said with a grunt, hauling the large bag over his shoulder through the Floo. His face went as red as his hair when Draco locked eyes with him.

Molly was heard from behind Draco, attempting to speak over the toddlers now crowding her feet.

"What the bloody hell is _he_ doing here!"

Fred looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him as much as Draco did.

" _Ronald Weasley you watch your mouth!"_ Molly bellowed back. "And you do not speak to guests like that in _my house!_ "

Draco finally made it to the door when he noticed Weasley Senior shuffle into the sitting room, only seeming to be half curious about what was going on. "Ah, we have a guest? Who?"

It was the last thing Draco wanted him to know at this point.

"Got to run, Mum. Love you!" Fred said, barely leaving her a peck on the cheek.

"It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Weasley," Draco rushed out before fleeing the scene.

There were far too many Weasley's in the Burrow for him to handle right now. Fred knew it, too. He all but dragged him out the door by the arm in hopes that Draco's nerves wouldn't catch up and cause him to seize. They were almost to the wardlines before someone called for him.

"Hey, Malfoy!"

He heard a feminine voice shout. Draco turned out of habit to nearly be caught with what he presumed was a Bat Bogey Hex. Fred deflected the spell sent from his sister, the shield causing it to burst into a mess of bats before they disapparited.

They landed just outside the joke shops side entrance. Draco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before sending a cruel looking glare towards Fred.

He knew by the physical reaction that it startled—and seemed to hurt?—Fred.

"Well that turned into quite a disaster," the redhead half-whispered.

Draco scoffed and half-rolled his eyes. There was a lot he wanted to say, but after seeing how hurt Fred appeared, he refrained from adding salt to a wound he didn't know he created.

"I'm going to check on Scorpius…"

Draco didn't know how he felt about anything right now. Angry? Upset? Scared? Worried? Why did Fred decide to take him to his childhood home of all places out of the blue and meet his mother?

It all blended into a mix of uncertain turmoil he wasn't sure how to handle. Right now he pushed it all aside, he wanted to see his son.

He needed to rethink his life—both of their lives. Staying with the twins was becoming too much.

* * *

 _Originally Written For:_

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Monthly Challenges for All

 **Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 4,636


	10. Misdirected (Ch2)

**Author's Note:** Here we get a glimpse of what happened after Fred and Draco got back from the Burrow. Let's just say Draco needs a hug, the poor thing. I think this is the first time we see him essentially snap, too. It was bound to happen, honestly. A lot has happened in a year, and a lot was buried deep in that time. Let us see what happens together, yes?

 **Warning:** Heavy implications of panic attacks. Internalized homophobia/denial of sexuality.

 **Word Count:** (Per Google Docs) 3,220

* * *

 **Misdirected**

 _13th of March, 2010_

After getting Scorpius settled in their shared room for the night, Draco was reading one of the last few chapters left from the book Scorpius had picked a couple weeks ago. It was a medieval-based story about a royal night who rescued the infant prince from a man who overthrew the king—the infant's father.

"As Azarth pulled the crimson blanket over the young boy, their gazes met. 'Azarth,' he said, 'Will you always be there to protect me from harm?' The knight released the blanket mid-torso before placing a hand on Kaine's shoulder. 'I would fight until my last breath if it meant I could protect you.'"

"Would you do that for me, Father?" Scorpius asked suddenly as Draco marked his stopping point before closing the book.

The question made him wonder what his son thought of what he'd already done for him. Taking a job in a joke shop, working under the Weasley twins of all people, as well as living with them to boot, was all for Scorpius' sake. He needed security, a place to call home, and most of all, Draco wanted him to be happy.

"Of course I would, Scorpius," he responded after a long moment. "You know that everything I do—"

"—You do for me. Yeah."

Draco took a deep breath. His son had picked up on that twin speak thing, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Placing the book on the nightstand and was about to put out the oil lamp before Scorpius piped up again.

"Father?"

He sat back down on the edge of the bed, grey eyes meeting each other. "Yes, Scorpius?"

"Why don't you do anything for yourself?"

This was unexpected, Draco wondered where his son was going with this. Scorpius always was so inquisitive late at night, it was a horrible habit he couldn't break. He knew Scorpius always had the hardest of times getting to sleep since Astoria left them, and it was something he gave up trying to correct. These questions were just another way to stall the inevitable—sleep.

"I do, but my first priority is to—"

"—Make sure I am happy," Scorpius finished.

Draco would tell him this almost as often as he told him he loved him. "Are you happy?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad." Draco brushed the fringe from Scorpius' eyes, making a note to get him in for a hair trim soon.

Before he could make his second attempt to snuff the light and slip out of the room, Scorpius spoke up once more.

"Did my calling George 'daddy' upset you earlier?"

Draco felt his blood run cold at the question. He was barely able to contain the shock on his face before responding.

"Why do you ask?"

Scorpius shrugged, fidgeting with the hem of the blanket. "I don't know… you looked annoyed."

Sighing, Draco rubbed the sleepiness from his own eyes. "Look, son. You know they are just friends, right?"

"I guess. But why?"

Draco was confused now, but the tightness in his chest wouldn't subside despite the subtle breathing tactics he used to keep himself from losing it. "Why what?"

Scorpius sighed in frustration, slapping his hands over his forehead. "You don't see it?"

He thought a moment, trying to puzzle out what his son was saying. "See what? Are you referring to your 'secret' you mentioned earlier?"

The boy smirked despite himself. "Sort of..." he paused a moment before pulling his blanket up over his face to hide his bashfulness that leaked into his words. "They really _like_ you. And I like to call them 'daddy' and 'papa.'"

The silence made Scorpius uneasy enough that he peeked out from under the blanket. "Is that okay?"

Draco's heart stopped and leapt into his throat. Scorpius was doing it again—being overly observant and speaking his mind, which he encouraged, and Scorpius used to completely thrown off guard. Draco didn't know to how to react or feel about the subject. Being gifted as an Occlumens had its perks at times, turning off his emotions was the only way he managed to face each day with a dissociative mind. Being able to tuck away the wayward thoughts about the twins, to keep how's constant worries about Scorpius at bay, it helped keep him from overthinking everything, reading into actions and gestures, or trying to decode their statements and comments. It was easier for him to keep _those feelings_ locked up, they made it clear to him so long ago, and he couldn't risk ruining their lives again because he slipped up again.

But now, one simple statement, one simple word, one simple question from his son, tore all those mental walls down, and he didn't like it.

"They are my employers and landlords, Scorpius. They are your _friends_. That's it," he said sternly, getting back to his feet. "Calling them anything other than their names isn't appropriate, especially _that_ kind of name."

"But—"

"This isn't open for discussion, Scorpius," Draco interrupted, the growing anger in his voice had Scorpius look away and curl into himself. "They are your friends at best, so you will continue to address and treat them accordingly. Understand?"

"Yeah…" He could see that Scorpius was upset based on his huffy, grumbly response. "For now."

Draco dared not question those last uttered words. He softened his tone. "Goodnight. I love you."

Scorpius mumbled a reply as Draco adjusted his blanket, gave his forehead a gentle kiss, and snuffed out the oil lamp. The darkness quickly covered the room as Draco made for the door. He had immediate business to attend to with the twins.

Luckily for him, they were in the main room, lounging on the couch after another bizarre day. He should have realized it sooner after he left Scorpius with George and went to the Burrow with Fred for… whatever reason he used to warp his mind into saying yes to that afternoon. Getting their attention was easy when he had that borderline murderous look on his face as he stood before them, arms folded, and eyes sharp like daggers.

"Scorp finally go down, Draco?" the one on his left asked.

Draco felt his heart clench at the question, but made no notion to reply. The other sat more upright now, seeing and feeling the seriousness radiate off the blond. He gave his brother a nudge, hinting that joking was not an option for the moment.

"We need to talk," Draco finally said.

"Is something wrong, mate?"

"Obviously there is, George," Draco snapped back, looking between the two who were still leisurely lounging. "How long has Scorpius been calling you two _daddy?"_

"I'm Fred," he said with a smirk. "And Scorp only calls George 'daddy'. He calls me 'papa'."

"I don't care who he calls what," the blond hissed through gritted teeth, voice raising with every other word. "Why is he suddenly changing the way he addresses you two? Why am I suddenly needed to be introduced to your _mother?_ If you are trying to do what I think it is—"

The lack of breathing properly had Draco's vision blur some, but he was feeling too angry and confused on how he was supposed to react to the situation to be able to focus on breathing. He was blind with anger. All he could think about was Scorpius replacing him with the two in front of him, but that his son mentioned that they _liked_ him.

How did he know this? Was this simple observation Scorpius took notice of make him think that calling them those names would be alright? To fortify something between them because they all cared about him in various ways? That he would rekindle the very same feelings that ruined his life with Astoria in the first place? It was not something he was willing to handle again. He wasn't sure how the three suddenly ended up in the office space outside of the flat until the nauseating twinge in his stomach told him they apparated.

Firm hands lead him to a chair and pushed him down to sit. The authoritative handling only agitated him more, but only because their gentle squeezes of comfort on either shoulder afterward sent his mind spinning elsewhere.

"You were yelling, mate," one twin stated.

"Can't have Scorp hear that," the other added in.

Draco dug his palms into his eyes, trying to regather his wits as both twins still kept that firm, but hardly painful, grip on his shoulders. The heat he felt burning in his veins simmered out as he found himself focusing on their touch. It was strange having anyone touch him so casually, it was different, a little unnerving, but pleasant at the same time.

When Scorpius' name was said, he snapped back and suddenly stood, ripping their hands off him. " _I am_ his father, not you two. Why is he associating that with you guys? I want to know _now._ "

"Draco, easy," the one without the botched ear—Fred he remembered—said, voice soothing and calm. "You need to try and relax, alright?"

He shook his head, releasing a hollow laugh. "It's just a game to you two, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Scorpius, he obviously sees you two as more than just obligatory friends to want to call you…" Draco trailed off, biting his tongue and looking just past the two so he didn't have to directly see them. "He sees things he shouldn't be seeing between us. That is _not_ okay. Yet, you make it all a game..."

Draco watched as something clicked between the twins when they exchanged that look they always did. He felt suddenly dizzy, the darkness edged the corner of his eyes, and he quickly took the closest seat to him and buried his face back in his hands. The flutter he felt in his chest was wrong, it was what caused Astoria to abandon them, and his parents to disown him. Of course they wanted to take Scorpius and leave Draco on the streets, but he did not allow that, making that rift grow even more. They scathingly told him denying Scorpius a stable upbringing was the worst decision he could've made as a parent—those were their last words to him. Everything he suppressed for the sake of normalcy—for a quiet, simple life—was long gone.

And now here he was, raising a four-and-a-half-year-old alone in a flat above a joke shop, waking up every day to switch off and go through the motions in order to avoid the same mistake again. Falling from grace was second nature now.

The words that escaped him weren't meant to be uttered. "What are you two _doing_ to me?"

He could feel the twins' presence much closer to him now, but he dared not look up. "They are just names to him, Draco. I doubt they carry the same weight of their title that you think they do."

"How do you know what he perceives them to be when he uses them?" Draco knew they really didn't, he just wanted to stop them from trying to feed that nonsense to him. "How do I know you two aren't encouraging this? Why aren't you correcting him?"

"We're sorry, mate. Honestly it didn't really occur to us that it was going to touch a nerve with you," George said. "It surprised us, too. But you shouldn't interpret it as a bad thing."

"He's a kid. If he is that comfortable with George and I to relate us to such a good person like you, his own _father,_ we were quite honored, really." Fred gave Draco a firm pat on the back.

"I am not a good person, Fred," Draco half-whispered.

"Oh, please. You're a great person and father to Scorp," George assured, resting his hand back on the blond's shoulder. "There's nothing wrong to ask for help, though. You've been here for about a year now, yet it still took some serious convincing to have you leave the tyke here with me for a few hours."

Fred nodded in agreement. "You are allowed to trust us like we trust you. Scorpius clearly does, and we honestly don't mind helping take care of him, only if you are alright with it of course. Try and take a page out of his book, maybe?"

Draco looked between them a couple of times before suddenly brushing off their hands to again get up and pace the room.

Hie slid his hands through his hair, fingers knotting in his hair. "This was supposed to be a professional arrangement, nothing else." Draco paused, glancing their way. "Is what Scorpius said true?"

"Sorry?" They asked in unison.

"About…" he cut himself off, sliding his hands over his face. "I don't even know what or how to think about you two anymore. What are you doing to me again..." Draco muttered under his breath, unsure if either of them heard.

The twins suddenly embraced him on either side, their arms loosely wrapping around his waist while resting their heads on his shoulders. The pang in his chest burned as he processed the contact between them, the warmth they radiated, the gentleness behind the action, their scent he couldn't quite describe but was still intoxicating. It felt so wrong, but so right. Draco was doing it again, overthinking everything—he needed an outlet before he fainted.

He found himself focusing on their steady breaths, syncing with it, allowing it to calm him down. He couldn't admit this breakdown was manifested fear of losing Scorpius to the twins, to think that his own son preferred them over himself. Draco wasn't completely sure why they were wanting to help him with his son, it was all a little humiliating if he had to be honest, but still secretly welcoming. This didn't turn out the way he wanted it to, everything was so backwards and confusing.

Several minutes went by—or so Draco thought—before Fred and George pulled away. The sudden disconnection left him feeling strange and cold.

"Are you going to be alright?"

Draco let out a very long, well needed breath. "Yeah."

"Look, we know that this wasn't exactly where you wanted to be by now, but don't think that you're a failure because of it," Fred said slowly, treading back into dangerous waters. "Scorpius is in good hands, with you and us. If he views George and I as part of his family, we won't object to it so long as you don't."

"We won't cross any lines if you aren't comfortable with it, but remember that we are here if you want help. We utterly adore the squirt, so we honestly don't mind. But we aren't by any stretch of the word trying to replace you, or try and take him away from you, if that is what you were thinking. You're his father first, you'll still call the shots. We simply want to be there to help." George gave Fred that secretive look again.

Draco looked between them carefully, processing what they were saying as well as coming to terms with the outcome of whatever this turned into. He wasn't sure they were picking up on his subtle suggestions of what Scorpius told him. If they were, they were pretending to be oblivious about it, and Draco was thankful for it. He was unsure how he felt about it all anymore, tasting the bitterness of rejection a second time wasn't something he wanted to experience again, but it also seemed like they were giving him space to figure it out.

How was he supposed to handle knowing they actually liked him? He didn't see any signs that Scorpius claimed to have seen, but he wasn't going to dare ask, either. Clearly he felt something for them based on how unstable his mindset was and questioning everything, but he didn't want to admit it to himself. Not yet… it was wrong, wasn't it? It messed up his otherwise stable life since the war, it left him confused and bitter during the darker days of the war...

How were they able to steer the conversation so smoothly and handle him so well? Why was he so compliant with most of their proposals or shenanigans? They were very good at making their case, but maybe it was how they always presented it that made it so easy to accept. It was almost like they knew exactly what to say to disable Draco's reasoning skills, and that, he knew, was going to be a dangerous weapon to face in the future.

But for now, Draco needed the help, at least for now until he could find a new flat and get Scorpius and himself away from all this. He needed to get away before he did something stupid, acted on something stupid.

Why did his heart always feel like glass but his mind like stone? Why couldn't they work together for a change and prevent all of this uncertainty and confusion?

"Okay," Draco heard himself say, defeated.

They both let out loud sighs of relief, brushing the fringe off their foreheads.

"Glad that's handled," Fred said.

"Care for a drink?" George offered, holding the door open to head back to the flat.

"I'd rather just go to bed."

Draco exited the office and hastily opened the door opposite, wanting to put a lot of space between himself and the twins who trailed behind. Everything that happened was starting to be processed and registered more clearly now, and the flood of embarrassment and more resentment he was probably going to feel soon was something he wanted to face quietly alone by retreating to the only private space he had—his and Scorpius' room.

George suddenly appeared in front of him with a pop, giving Draco a scare. "Aww, but we got this new flavoured alcoholic drink that is supposed to taste really good with apples."

"We know how much you love those green apples, too," Fred added in, appearing right beside his brother with a pop of his own.

Draco would never understand why they apparated everywhere, or why they always teased him about the Granny Smith Apples.

"If you didn't already notice," he said dryly, glancing at them both. "I am not fit to drink right now, and I am utterly exhausted…"

"That's a shame. The night is still young, it might've taken the edge off."

"However, we just have one more question, Draco. It's been nagging at us this entire time," George added in.

Draco rolled his eyes and let out a groan. He was mentally and emotionally drained, he wanted to bolt and hide until morning to let the humiliation pass, but he gave in, too tired to care.

"What?"

"We want to know, because it seems Scorpius is far better at it than you are."

The twins glanced at each other briefly before both continued. "Can you really tell us apart?"

Draco looked between the two, and knew after an unnecessary amount of time that the one on the left with the mangled ear was George. Unfortunately he figured it out by the lip twitch he knew George subconsciously did when they were wanting to play games rather than with the other very obvious identifier.

"Twin speak always creeped me out," he uttered to himself, locking eyes with George. "And yes I can, Fred."


End file.
